Can Probiotics slow down Osteoporosis?

Most people don’t realize that bones are made of living tissue, and they grow and change as we age. Our bones are constantly breaking down and regenerating. When we are younger, this process happens much easier and efficiently. By the time we reach our 30s, the process slows down. As we age more, our bodies start to break down bone faster than it can be replaced. This is called osteoporosis.

Osteoporosis can make bones more brittle and cause them to break more easily. A slight fall, mild stress, or even a hard cough could break or fracture the bones of someone with osteoporosis. The recovery process is also much longer for someone with osteoporosis as opposed to someone with healthy bones. Osteoporosis breaks and fractures usually occur in the hips, wrist, or spine. It can affect anyone, but women are more at risk for it.

Medical researchers have been looking for ways to prevent osteoporosis or slow down the progression of the disease. Dr. Roberto Pacifici of Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia, recently led a study that involved giving female lab mice the probiotic Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG for four weeks.

The study found that the probiotic supplementation stimulated the growth of certain gut bacteria that produce butyrate, a metabolite. Butyrate helps T cells in bone marrow make a protein called Wnt10b. Wnt10b is an essential part of bone growth. Dr. Pacifici explained that the way probiotics affect bone growth is not understood. As of now, few studies prove that they are effective at long-term bone regrowth.

“Because their mechanism of action in bone is unknown, they are regarded as some kind of alternative, esoteric, unproven treatment,” he said.

Dr. Pacifici is hoping the results of this study will inspire other studies. He feels there is a strong correlation between bone growth and probiotics. He also believes that the number of bacteria present in a probiotic is a factor.

While this study was conducted on mice and not humans, there is a good chance that a study on humans would yield the same results. The research team hopes that a similar study on humans can be conducted in the near future. Dr. Pacifici also pointed out that if a human study does yield the same results as the study on mice, it could be the start of a new treatment that can improve the way our bones develop as young adults and prevent osteoporosis in older adults.

Reference:

Tyagi AMet al. The microbial metabolite butyrate stimulates bone formation via T regulatory cell-mediated regulation of WNT10B expression. Immunity. 2018; 49(4):1-16.  doi: 10.1016/j.immuni.2018.10.013