Probiotic Lactobacillus Reuteri May Mitigate Bone Loss

A probiotic a day may help keep bone loss at bay, according to a new study. 

Reference: Nilsson AG, Sundh D, Bäckhed F, Lorentzon M. Lactobacillus reuteri reduces bone loss in older women with low bone mineral density: a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind, clinical trial. J Intern Med. 2018. 

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Dr. Anna Nilsson and colleagues in Sweden found that dietary supplementation with Lactobacillus reuteri increased bone mineral density in women aged 75-80 years. Click through the slides above for details on the study and take home points for physicians.

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Osteoporosis and the Gut Biome. Osteoporotic fractures affect half of women and one-fourth of men aged >50 years and the cost related to bone fracture is in the billions of dollars ever year. Authors of the study hypothesized that dietary supplementation with L. reuteri may prevent bone loss and increase trabecular bone density through mitigation of inflammation. 

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The Study. The authors conducted a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial where they examined the impact of daily supplementation of L. reuteri 6475 on bone loss in older women with low BMD. 

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Results: 

  • ITT population: No significant differences in secondary outcomes
  • PP population: Lower reduction of trabecular bone volume fraction in L. reuteri 6475 group (-0.49% [95% CI, -0.97 to -0.01%]) vs placebo (-1.29 [95% CI, -1.74 to -0.83])
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Take Home Points:

  • Bone loss in older women with low BMD taking L. reuteri 6475 was nearly 50% less vs women taking placebo.
  • L. reuteri 6475 supplementation reduced loss of total vBMD in all analyses and of trabecular bone volume fraction in PP and sensitivity analyses. 
  • No changes observed in inflammatory markers (or other secondary outcomes).
  • Probiotic supplementation is common and safe with few adverse effects.

 

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