Age-related changes in bone metabolism are well established by biochemical markers of bone matrix in serum and urine, but analysis of the residual bone matrix, which is still turning over, has not been investigated. In the present study, we measured in vivo rates of bone protein synthesis using a precursor-product method based on the exchange of ²H from ²H₂O into amino acids. Four percent ²H₂O was administered to mice in drinking water after intraperitonial (i.p) bolus injection of 99.9% ²H₂O. Mice were divided into the two groups: growing young mice were administered 4% ²H₂O for 12 weeks after an i.p bolus injection at 5 week of age, whereas weight stable adult mice started drinking 4% ²H₂O 8 weeks later than the growing group and continued 4% ²H₂O drinking for 8 weeks. Mass isotopomer abundance in alanine from bone protein was analyzed by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. Body ²H₂O enrichments were in the range of 1.88-2.41% over the labeling period. The fractional synthesis rates (ks) of bone protein were 2.000±0.071%/d for growing mice and 0.243±0.014%/d for adult mice. These results demonstrate that the bone protein synthesis rate decreases with age and present direct evidence of age-related changes in bone protein synthesis.