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Effect of a mixture of GOS/FOS® on calcium absorption and retention during recovery from protein malnutrition: experimental model in growing rats

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Abstract

Introduction

During growth, protein deprivation impairs epiphyseal growth plate (EGP) height, bone volume (BV) and endochondral ossification. During catch-up growth, Ca availability becomes essential to ensure the extra amount needed to achieve optimal peak bone mass and strength. GOS and FOS improve mineral absorption in the colon.

Purpose

The effect of a mixture of GOS/FOS® 9:1 added to a 0.5 %Ca (NCa) and a 0.3 %Ca (LCa) diets on Ca, P and Mg absorptions and bone mineralization, density and structure using an experimental model of growing rats recovering from early protein malnutrition was investigated.

Methods

To induce protein malnutrition, rats were fed a low protein diet: 4 % (LPD) during 1 week and then were randomly assigned to recovery groups (R) until day 50 (T = 50) as follows: R0.5 %: NCa; RP0.5 %: NCa + 5.3 % GOS/FOS®; R0.3 %: LCa and RP0.3 %: LCa + 5.3 % GOS/FOS®. Control groups received the 0.5 %Ca or 0.3 %Ca diet from weaning until day 40 or 50.

Results

Body weight and length increased in C groups throughout the study; both were arrested in all R during LPD consumption and increased immediately after re-feeding. Independently of dietary Ca content, LS counts, β-glucosidase and Ca, P and Mg absorption increased, whereas cecum pH, β-glucuronidase, urease and tryptophanase decreased in RP0.5 %: and RP0.3 %: as compared to the other studied groups (p < 0.01). Prebiotic consumption decreased CTX levels and increased femur Ca, Mg and P contents, total skeleton bone mineral content, proximal tibia and spine BMD, BV, EGP height and hypertrophic zone thickness, stiffness and elastic modulus as compared to recovery groups fed the prebiotic-free diets.

Conclusion

Under the present experimental conditions, GOS/FOS® mixture induced colonic positive effects, which increased Ca, P and Mg absorption. Thus, consuming the prebiotic-containing diet resulted in an extra amount of minerals that improved bone development in growing rats recovering from protein malnutrition.

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Abbreviations

EGP:

Epiphyseal growth plate

P:

Phosphorus

CaI:

Calcium intake

NDFO:

Non-digestible fructo-oligosaccharides

GOS:

Galacto-oligosaccharides

FOS:

Long-chain fructo-oligosaccharides

AIN:

American Institute of Nutrition

LPD:

Low protein diet

NCa:

Normal Ca content diet

LCa:

Low Ca content diet

U:

Undernourished group

BW:

Body weight

CO2 :

Carbon dioxide

LS:

Lactobacillus

CFU:

Colony-forming units

I :

Food consumption

F :

Feces

Ab:

Apparent mineral absorption

Mg:

Magnesium

HCl:

Hydrochloric acid

HNO3 :

Nitric acid

BAP:

Bone alkaline phosphatase

CTX:

Type I collagen telopeptide

Alb:

Albumin

tsBMC:

Total skeleton bone mineral content

tsBMD:

Bone mineral density

DXA:

Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry

CV:

Coefficients of variation

ROI:

Region of interest

EDTA:

Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid

GPC.Th:

GPC thickness

HpZ.Th:

Hypertrophic zone thickness

BL:

Body length

TL:

Tail length

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Acknowledgments

The authors gratefully acknowledge Nutricia (Argentine) for kindly providing the GOS/FOS mixture. The authors thank Ms. Julia Somoza for her technical assistance and Mr. Ricardo Orzuza from the General and Oral Biochemistry Department, School of Dentistry, Buenos Aires University, for his technical support and for taking care of the animals. This study was partially funded by the Buenos Aires University and CONICET Grant PIP 11220100100004.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. General and Oral Biochemistry Department, School of Dentistry, Buenos Aires University (UBA), Av. Córdoba 2351-8vo. Piso (1120), Buenos Aires, Argentina

    Gabriel Bryk & Susana Noemí Zeni

  2. Metabolic Bone Diseases Laboratory, Clinical Hospital, Immunology, Genetic and Metabolism Institute (INIGEM), National Council for Scientific and Technologic Research (CONICET), Buenos Aires University (UBA), Buenos Aires, Argentina

    Gabriel Bryk, Magalí Zeni Coronel, Carlos Lugones & Susana Noemí Zeni

  3. Histology and Embryology Department, School of Dentistry, Buenos Aires University (UBA), Buenos Aires, Argentina

    Patricia Mandalunis

  4. National Council for Scientific and Technologic Research (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina

    María Esther Rio

  5. Biophysics Department, School of Dentistry, Buenos Aires University (UBA), Buenos Aires, Argentina

    Ariel Felix Gualtieri

  6. Food Science and Nutrition Department, School of Pharmacy and Biochemistry, Buenos Aires University (UBA), Buenos Aires, Argentina

    María Luz Pita Martín de Portela

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  1. Gabriel Bryk
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Correspondence to Susana Noemí Zeni.

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Bryk, G., Coronel, M.Z., Lugones, C. et al. Effect of a mixture of GOS/FOS® on calcium absorption and retention during recovery from protein malnutrition: experimental model in growing rats. Eur J Nutr 55, 2445–2458 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00394-015-1052-5

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