Are Probiotics the New Calcium and Vitamin D for Bone Health?
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
| Intervention | Direction | Endpoint | Population | Dosage | Impact | Claim # |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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 |
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.