Boning up: can you cut the carbs and calories without upping your risk of osteoporosis?

All too often, dieting success is temporary. But the damage it does to your body can be permanent.

When you cut calories, your body does whatever is necessary to sustain life. That includes sucking much-needed energy, and nutrients out of organs and body parts. As a number of studies indicate, the risks can be hefty.

Frequently, during diets, your bones are raided for their mineral resources, causing a loss of bone density and an increased chance of osteoporosis in the future. When you finally slim down, more bad news: Thin people are more prone to osteoporosis.

And if you think you can counter this effect by taking calcium supplements alone, think again. A University of Pittsburgh study presented April 14, 2003, round that "daily supplements of 1,000 milligrams (mg) of calcium and a vitamin D-rich multivitamin do not prevent the imbalance in bone cell turnover."

Trial doesn't mean the studies--one of which was published in the August 2002 issue of the American Journal of Kidney Diseases--should be taken as a green light to overeat. Being overweight carries its own risks, including heart disease, high blood pressure and other chronic and potentially fatal conditions.

But if you're curbing the carbs, the trick is to follow our comprehensive bone-strengthening program along with your diet.

* First, aim to drop those pounds gradually. Sudden weight loss causes the greatest damage.