Probi’s probiotic cocktail slashes bone loss in postmenopausal women

29 Oct 2019 --- A Probi-endorsed study has found that a combination of three of its Lactobacillus strains can help fight bone loss in postmenopausal women. This group is especially at risk of developing osteoporosis due to estrogen deficiency, meaning that research in this field is crucial. Half of the sample size of 249 postmenopausal women were given a daily dose of the probiotic cocktail for a year. This group experienced a significant reduction in bone density loss in comparison to the placebo cohort. This marks one of the first randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trials to evaluate the efficacy of probiotic treatment on bone, although the scientists note that further research is warranted.

“The gastrointestinal space is the strongest probiotic segment and will continue to be so. However, we also see additional indications in the field of probiotics reaching the market, such as immunity, mineral absorption and now also bone health. We see that consumers start to understand that probiotics are so much more than just gut health. We will, together with our partners, continue to educate the consumer that probiotics go beyond gut health,” Titti Martinsson Niskanen, Director R&D and Clinical Operations at Probi, tells NutritionInsight. 

Carried out over four study centers in Sweden, the Lancet-published study saw early postmenopausal women randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to receive a daily dose of a placebo or of Lactobacillus paracasei DSM 13434, Lactobacillus plantarum DSM 15312 and Lactobacillus plantarum DSM 15313. The participants were told not to use other products that contained added probiotic bacteria. As well as functional foods and dietary supplements, this list also included types of fermented vegetables. 

Participants were also instructed to carefully check the ingredients of the products they were consuming. Additionally, more than five daily cups of coffee (or a corresponding amount of caffeine-containing products) were off-limits, as well as calcium or vitamin D supplements.

At the end of the trial, it was found that the probiotics reduced the loss of lumbar spine bone mineral density (LS-BMD) in comparison to the placebo group, with a mean difference of 0.71 percent. While the placebo group saw an average LS-BMD reduction of 0.72 percent, the probiotic group has a reduced LS-BMD of just 0.01 percent. 

However, the secondary end points of total hip bone mineral density and trochanter bone mineral density were not affected. Furthermore, the femoral neck bone mineral density was more reduced in the probiotic treatment group (1.39 percent) than in the placebo group (0.74 percent). 

Relative change in lumbar spine BMD at 12 months versus baseline (Source: The Lancet).The researchers speculate that this effect may be due to the strains targeting a mechanism with differential effect on trabecular and cortical bone, resulting in specific protection against spinal bone loss. However, further long-term studies are warranted to explore the apparent bone-site specific effects of probiotic treatment in postmenopausal women. They also note that further investigation should be done to evaluate if the bone-protective effect becomes more pronounced with prolonged treatment with the Lactobacillus strains used in the present study.

Expanding on previous information
Prior research had already found that probiotic treatments have the capacity to protect rodents from ovariectomy-induced bone loss, which encouraged the company to invest in the large clinical trial. 

“Experimental studies have shown that manipulation of the composition of the gut microbiota might alter bone homeostasis in rodents. We hypothesized that treatment with probiotics might protect mice from ovariectomy-induced bone loss. A mixture of three probiotic strains with anti-inflammatory properties was tested, and the treatment protected the mice from ovariectomy-induced bone loss,” explains Niskanen.

As well as funding the study, Probi was involved in the research design, contributed to writing the article and was consulted about the final decision to submit for publication. 

“By broadening the Probi probiotic offering, we can attract new customers and also have a broader offering to our existing customers. We have experienced huge interest after the launch of the product concept to our business partners, and in just one year, the concept has already been launched globally, both in Europe, US and Asia,” adds Niskanen. 

Previous case studies saw rats exhibiting increased bone mineral content, higher density and strength and reduced bone loss when fed foods rich in probiotic potential. Meanwhile, a mouse study found that nutrition may have a bigger impact on bone mass and strength. 

Earlier this year, a decade-long study found that higher soy intake was associated with a 77 percent reduced risk of osteoporotic fractures in younger women, while exercise showed a significantly reduced risk of fractures among older women. One of the key findings is that the novel association of soy food intake with osteoporotic fractures in breast cancer survivors could help guide future treatments, but the authors indicate that further research needs to be carried out. 

Meanwhile, Rousselot is targeting the senior nutrition market as they are at risk of developing bone-related conditions since the bone structure loses strength and becomes thinner over time. The company is proposing that collagen peptides can improve overall bone health by simultaneously targeting bone formation and bone resorption. 

By Katherine Durrell