Effect of Vitamin D-Enriched Gouda-Type Cheese Consumption on Biochemical Markers of Bone Metabolism in Postmenopausal Women in Greece

Considering the role of bone metabolism in understanding the pathogenesis of osteoporosis, the aim of the present study was to examine the effects of vitamin D-enriched cheese on the serum concentrations of the parathyroid hormone (PTH) and certain bone remodeling biomarkers in postmenopausal women in Greece. In a randomised, controlled dietary intervention, 79 postmenopausal women (55–75 years old) were randomly allocated either to a control (CG: n = 39) or an intervention group (IG: n = 40), consuming 60 g of either non-enriched or vitamin D3-enriched Gouda-type cheese (5.7 μg of vitamin D3), respectively, daily and for eight weeks during the winter. The serum concentrations of 25-hydroxy vitamin D (25(OH)D), PTH, bone formation (i.e., osteocalcin, P1NP) and bone resorption (i.e., TRAP-5b) biomarkers were measured. Consumption of the vitamin D-enriched cheese led to higher serum 25(OH)D concentrations of 23.4 ± 6.39 (p = 0.022) and 13.4 ± 1.35 (p < 0.001) nmol/L in vitamin D-insufficient women being at menopause for less and more than 5 years, respectively. In vitamin D-insufficient women that were less than 5 years at menopause, consumption of vitamin D-enriched cheese was also associated with lower serum PTH (Beta −0.63 ± 1.11; p < 0.001) and TRAP-5b (Beta −0.65 ± 0.23; p = 0.004) levels at follow-up, compared with the CG. The present study showed that daily intake of 5.7 μg of vitamin D through enriched cheese increased serum 25(OH)D concentrations, prevented PTH increase and reduced bone resorption in vitamin D-insufficient early postmenopausal women, thus reflecting a food-based solution for reducing osteoporosis risk in this susceptible group.

Mild stimulatory effect of a probiotic mix on bone mass when treatment is initiated 1.5 weeks after ovariectomy in mice.

Studies in humans and rodents show that probiotic bacteria can protect from bone loss caused by sex-steroid deficiency. We showed earlier that a mixture of three probiotic bacteria, Lacticaseibacillus paracasei DSM13434, Lactiplantibacillus plantarum DSM 15312 and DSM 15313 (L. Mix) protects mice from ovariectomy (ovx)-induced bone loss when treatment was started two weeks before sham and ovx surgery. In addition, the same probiotic treatment protected against lumbar spine bone loss in early postmenopausal women. In the present study we wanted to evaluate the therapeutic potential of L. Mix by starting treatment 1.5 weeks after ovx when most of the rapid bone loss as a result of estrogen deficiency, has already occurred. Treatment with L. Mix for 5.5 weeks increased the trabecular thickness but not the trabecular number in the proximal metaphyseal region of tibia compared to vehicle treatment. Cortical thickness and cortical area of the mid-diaphyseal part of tibia were decreased in the vehicle-treated ovx mice but not in L. Mix-treated ovx mice compared to sham mice. The bone protective effects of L. Mix in ovx mice were associated with a protection against ovx-induced reduction of the frequency of regulatory T-cells and of the expression of Tgfβ in the bone marrow. In conclusion, the probiotic L. Mix exerted a moderate stimulatory effect on trabecular and cortical bone width when treatment is initiated 1.5 weeks after ovariectomy in mice. This effect was associated with effects on bone protecting regulatory T-cells. The results suggest that L. Mix may exert beneficial effects on bone mass when treatment is started after ovariectomy.

Transdermal Estrogen Therapy Improves Gains in Skeletal Muscle Mass After 12 Weeks of Resistance Training in Early Postmenopausal Women

ContextWomen show an accelerated loss of muscle mass around menopause, possibly related to the decline in estrogen. Furthermore, the anabolic response to resistance exercise seems to be hampered in postmenopausal women.ObjectiveWe aimed to test the hypothesis that transdermal estrogen therapy (ET) amplifies the skeletal muscle response to resistance training in early postmenopausal women.DesignA double-blinded randomized controlled study.SettingDepartment of Public Health, Aarhus University, Denmark.ParticipantsThirty-one healthy, untrained postmenopausal women no more than 5 years past menopause.Intervention(s)Supervised resistance training with placebo (PLC, n = 16) or transdermal ET (n = 15) for 12 weeks.Main Outcome Measure(s)The primary outcome parameter was a cross-sectional area of quadriceps femoris measured by magnetic resonance imaging, and secondary parameters were fat-free mass (dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry), muscle strength, and functional tests.ResultsThe increase in muscle cross-sectional area was significantly greater in the ET group (7.9%) compared with the PLC group (3.9%) (p &lt; 0.05). Similarly, the increase in whole-body fat-free mass was greater in the ET group (5.5%) than in the PLC group (2.9%) (p &lt; 0.05). Handgrip strength increased in ET (p &lt; 0.05) but did not change in the PLC group. Muscle strength parameters, jumping height, and finger strength were all improved after the training period with no difference between groups.ConclusionThe use of transdermal ET enhanced the increase in muscle mass in response to 12 weeks of progressive resistance training in early postmenopausal women.