Yogurt Benefits Bone Mineralization in Ovariectomized Rats with Concomitant Modulation of the Gut Microbiome

Weiwei He, Zhuqing Xie, Nina Kølln Wittig, Line F. Zachariassen, Amanda Andersen, Henrik J. Andersen, Henrik Birkedal, Dennis S. Nielsen, Axel K. Hansen, Hanne Christine Bertram*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalJournal articleResearchpeer-review

4 Citations (Scopus)
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Abstract

Scope: Evidence supports that gut-modulating foods potentially can suppress bone loss in postmenopausal women. This study aims to investigate the effect of milk calcium-enriched milk, yogurt, and yogurt-inulin combination on the gut–bone association. Methods and results: A 6-week intervention study is conducted in ovariectomized rats. Four pastes containing milk calcium-fortified milk (M-Ca), milk calcium-fortified yogurt (Y-Ca), inulin-fortified Y-Ca (Y-I-Ca), or an isoconcentration of calcium carbonate (Ca-N), and a calcium-deficient paste are provided. M-Ca does not influence bone mineral density and content (BMD and BMC), femur mechanical strength, or femoral microstructure compared to Ca-N, but Y-Ca increases spine BMD. The serum metabolome reveals that Y-Ca modulated glycine-related pathways with reduced glycine, serine, and threonine. No additive effects of yogurt and inulin are found on bone parameters. Correlation analysis shows that increased lactobacilli and reduced Clostridiaceae members in Y-Ca is associated with an increased spine BMD. Increases in Bifidobacterium pseudolongum, Turicibacter, Blautia, and Allobaculum and gut short-chain fatty acids in Y-I-Ca are not reflected in bone parameters. Conclusion: Yogurt as calcium vehicle contributes to increased spine BMD concomitant with changes in the gut microbiome and glycine-related pathways, while adding inulin to yogurt does not affect bone mineralization in ovariectomized rats.

Original languageEnglish
Article number2200174
JournalMolecular Nutrition and Food Research
Volume66
Issue number20
Number of pages10
ISSN1613-4125
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2022

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2022 The Authors. Molecular Nutrition & Food Research published by Wiley-VCH GmbH.

Keywords

  • fermented dairy
  • gut metabolome
  • gut–bone axis
  • inulin
  • NMR metabolomics

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