Studies on osteoporosis. IX. Effect of fluoride on steroid induced osteoporosis.

Neutron activation analysis was employed to determine total body calcium in 5-8 month and 15-18 month old C3H/St(Ha) and C57/BL6 (JACOBS) female mice. Ninety-nine percent of calcium is in bone and loss of calcium was used as an index of osteoporosis. Prednisolone (50 mg/kg q.d.) treatment for three months resulted in significant osteoporosis in the C3H/St(Ha) mice of both age groups but did not cause significant bone loss in the C57/BL6 (JACOBS) mice of either age group. Fluoride (75 PPM) failed to prevent osteoporosis in both strains and both age groups.