Oral supplementation with antioxidant agents containing alpha lipoic acid: effects on postmenopausal bone mass.
Study Goal
The researchers aimed to evaluate whether oral supplementation with antioxidant agents (including ALA) combined with calcium and vitamin D3 could improve bone mineral density in osteopenic postmenopausal women compared to calcium and vitamin D3 alone.
Results Summary
The study found that the group receiving ALA plus other antioxidants, calcium, and vitamin D3 showed a slightly better estimated BMD after 12 months compared to the control group (calcium and vitamin D3 alone), though the difference was only marginally statistically significant (p = 0.048).
Population
Postmenopausal women with osteopenia (-2.5 < T-score < -1).
Effective Dosage
Not specified (only mentions "calcium and vitamin D3" without dosage details).
Duration
12 months.
Interactions
None mentioned.
| Intervention | Direction | Endpoint | Population | Dosage | Impact | Claim # |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
oral supplementation with antioxidant agents containing alpha lipoic acid (ALA) plus calcium and vitamin D3 | increase | bone mineral density (BMD) | osteopenic postmenopausal women | 0.401 +/- 0.026 vs 0.388 +/- 0.025 g/cm2 | led to a better estimated BMD compared to the control group | #1 |
oral supplementation with antioxidant agents containing alpha lipoic acid (ALA) plus calcium and vitamin D3 | decrease | bone loss | osteopenic postmenopausal women | - | may mitigate bone loss | #2 |
only calcium and vitamin D3 | neutral | bone mineral density (BMD) | osteopenic postmenopausal women | 0.388 +/- 0.025 g/cm2 | control group BMD | #3 |
PURPOSE OF INVESTIGATION: Oxidative stress impacts many age-related degenerative processes, such as in postmenopausal bone loss and in antioxidant defenses that are significantly decreased in elderly osteoporotic women. The authors evaluated the effect of oral supplementation with antioxidant agents containing alpha lipoic acid (ALA) on bone mineral density (BMD) of osteopenic postmenopausal women. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fifty postmenopausal women with osteopenia (-2.5 < T-score < -1) were prospectively enrolled and randomly assigned to orally receive ALA and other antioxidant agents (vitamin C, vitamin E, and selenium) plus calcium and vitamin D3 (n = 25), or only calcium and vitamin D3 (n = 25). The BMD was estimated at baseline and after 12 months of treatment by heel quantitative ultrasonometry (QUS). RESULTS: Forty-four patients completed the one-year study: 23 in the ALA group, 21 in the control group. The treatment of ALA group led to a better estimated BMD compared to the control group (0.401 +/- 0.026 vs 0.388 +/- 0.025 g/cm2), although this difference barely achieved a statistical significance (p = 0.048). CONCLUSION: These findings, although in a small population, could suggest that oral supplementation with antioxidant agents containing ALA may mitigate bone loss in osteopenic postmenopausal women.