The skeleton is a major site of breast cancer metastases. High bone turnover increases risk of disease progression and death. However, there is no direct evidence that high bone turnover is causally associated with the establishment and progression of metastases. In this study, we investigate the effects of high bone turnover in a model of breast cancer growth in bone. Female nude mice commenced a diet containing normal (0.6%; 'Normal-Ca') or low (0.1%; 'Low-Ca') calcium content. Mice were concurrently treated with vehicle or osteoprotegerin (1 mg/kg/d s.c; n = 16 per group). Three days later (day 0), 50,000 Tx-SA cells (variant of MDA-MB-231 cells) were implanted by intratibial injection. On day 0, mice receiving Low-Ca had increased serum parathyroid hormone (PTH) and tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase 5b levels, indicating secondary hyperparathyroidism and high bone turnover, which was maintained until day 17. Osteoprotegerin increased serum PTH but profoundly reduced bone resorption. On day 17, in mice receiving Low-Ca alone, lytic lesion area, tumor area, and cancer cell proliferation increased by 43%, 24%, and 24%, respectively, compared with mice receiving Normal Ca (P < 0.01). Osteoprotegerin treatment completely inhibited lytic lesions, reduced tumor area, decreased cancer cell proliferation, and increased cancer cell apoptosis. Increased bone turnover, due to dietary calcium deficiency, promotes tumor growth in bone, independent of the action of PTH. Breast cancer patients frequently have low dietary calcium intake and high bone turnover. Treatment to correct calcium insufficiency and/or treatment with antiresorptive agents, such as osteoprotegerin, may be of benefit in the adjuvant as well as palliative setting.