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Are Probiotics the New Calcium and Vitamin D for Bone Health?

Current osteoporosis reports
June 1, 2020
René Rizzoli et al. (2 authors)
Journal ArticleReviewHuman Study
Study Details

Study Goal

The researchers aimed to evaluate the potential role of probiotics, particularly from fermented dairy products, in improving bone health and whether they could serve as an adjuvant treatment alongside calcium and vitamin D or anti-osteoporotic drugs.

Results Summary

Probiotics from fermented dairy products were found to improve calcium balance, prevent secondary hyperparathyroidism, and reduce age-related bone resorption and loss. Their effects on bone health were comparable to calcium ± vitamin D supplements in elderly postmenopausal women.

Population

Elderly postmenopausal women and animal models (estrogen-deficient, diabetic, or glucocorticoid-treated).

Effective Dosage

Not specified

Duration

Not specified

Interactions

None mentioned

Extracted Claims (12)
InterventionDirectionEndpointPopulationDosageImpactClaim #
Calcium and vitamin D supplementation
decrease
fracture risk
patients at high risk of fracture and/or for those receiving pharmacological osteoporosis treatments
-
is recommended
#1
Probiotics
increase
host health
the host
-
conferring a health benefit
#2
Probiotics
increase
gut microbiota (GM) composition and/or function
-
-
influencing
#3
GM
increase
various determinants of bone health
-
-
influence
#4
Probiotics
decrease
bone loss
animal models
-
prevent
#5
Probiotics
neutral
bone resorption by osteoclasts and bone formation by osteoblast
-
-
modulating
#6
Probiotics
neutral
25-hydroxyvitamin D levels
humans
-
interfere with
#7
Probiotics
neutral
calcium intake and absorption
humans
-
interfere with
#8
Probiotics
decrease
bone loss
elderly postmenopausal women
-
slightly decrease
#9
fermented dairy products
increase
calcium balance
-
-
improve
#10
fermented dairy products
decrease
secondary hyperparathyroidism
-
-
prevent
#11
fermented dairy products
decrease
age-related increase of bone resorption and bone loss
-
-
attenuate
#12
Abstract

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Calcium and vitamin D supplementation is recommended for patients at high risk of fracture and/or for those receiving pharmacological osteoporosis treatments. Probiotics are micro-organisms conferring a health benefit on the host when administered in adequate amounts, likely by influencing gut microbiota (GM) composition and/or function. GM has been shown to influence various determinants of bone health. RECENT FINDINGS: In animal models, probiotics prevent bone loss associated with estrogen deficiency, diabetes, or glucocorticoid treatments, by modulating both bone resorption by osteoclasts and bone formation by osteoblast. In humans, they interfere with 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels, and calcium intake and absorption, and slightly decrease bone loss in elderly postmenopausal women, in a quite similar magnitude as observed with calcium ± vitamin D supplements. A dietary source of probiotics is fermented dairy products which can improve calcium balance, prevent secondary hyperparathyroidism, and attenuate age-related increase of bone resorption and bone loss. Additional studies are required to determine whether probiotics or any other interventions targeting GM and its metabolites may be adjuvant treatment to calcium and vitamin D or anti-osteoporotic drugs in the general management of patients with bone fragility.

Medical Subject Headings (MeSH)
Bone Density Conservation AgentsBone ResorptionCalciumCultured Milk ProductsDiabetes ComplicationsDiabetes MellitusGastrointestinal MicrobiomeGlucocorticoidsHumansOsteoblastsOsteoclastsOsteogenesisOsteoporosisOsteoporosis, PostmenopausalProbioticsVitamin D
Study Links
Quality Scores
SafetyNot Assessed
Efficacy75/10
Quality80/10
Citation Metrics
Total Citations59
Citations/Year11.8
Relative Citation Ratio4.59
NIH Percentile92%
Research Impact Scores
APT Score0.75
Weight Score1.31
Normalized Score0.66
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