Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Diet, Gut Microbiome, and Bone Health

  • Nutrition, Exercise, and Lifestyle in Osteoporosis (CM Weaver and R Daly, Section Editors)
  • Published:
Current Osteoporosis Reports Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Interactions between the environment, the gut microbiome, and host characteristics that influence bone health are beginning to be explored. This is the first area where functional benefits from diet-induced changes in the gut microbiome have been reported for healthy people. Several prebiotics that reach the lower intestine have resulted in an altered gut microbiome that is thought to enhance fermentation of the fibers to produce short-chain fatty acids. These changes are positively correlated with increases in fractional calcium absorption in adolescents and with increases in measures of bone density and strength in animal models. New methodologies are available to explore mechanisms and to refine intervention strategies.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3

Similar content being viewed by others

References

Papers of particular interest, published recently, have been highlighted as: • Of importance •• Of major importance

  1. Turnbaugh PJ, Ley RE, Hamady M, Fraser-Liggett CM, Knight R, Gordon JL. The human microbiome project. Nature. 2007;449:804–10.

    Article  PubMed Central  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. Whisner CM, Weaver CM. Probiotics and Prebiotics in Food, Nutrition and Health: Interactions of probiotics and prebiotics with minerals. Semih Ötleş (ed) CRC Press Boca Rotan FL; 2013. pg. 200-231.

  3. Bongers A, van de Heuval EGHM. Prebiotics and the bioavailability of minerals and trace elements. Food Rev Int. 2003;19:397–422.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Weaver CM, Martin BR, Story JA, Hutchinson I, Sanders L. Novel fibers increase bone calcium content and strength beyond efficiency of large intestine fermentation. J Agric Food Chem. 2010;58:8952–7.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Mineo H, Hara H, Tomita F. Short-chain fatty acids enhance diffusional Ca transport in the epithelium of the rat cecum and colon. Life Sci. 2001;69:517–26.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Donohoe DR, Garge N, Zhang X, Sun W, O’Connell TM, Bunger MK, et al. The microbiome and butyrate regulate energy metabolism and autophagy in the mammalian colon. Cell Metab. 2011;13:517–26.

    Article  PubMed Central  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Yonezawa T, Kobayashi Y, Obara Y. Short-chain fatty acids induce acute phosphorylation of the p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase/heat shock protein 27 pathw2ay via CPR43 in the MCF-7 human breast cancer cell line. Cell Signal. 2007;19:1885–193.

    Google Scholar 

  8. Henagan TM, Navard AM, Ye J. Sodium butyrate remodels whole genome nucleosome maps and attenuates high fat diet-induced mitochondrial dysfunction in skeletal muscle from C57BL6/J mice. FASEB J. 2014;28:1072.1.

    Google Scholar 

  9. Li C-J, Li RW, Elsasser TH. MicroRNA (miRNA) expression is regulated by butyrate-induced epigenetic modulation of gene expression in bovine cells. Genet Epigenetics. 2010;3:23–32.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Manolagas SC. From estrogen-centric to aging and oxidative stress: a revised perspective of the pathogenesis of osteoporosis. Endocr Rev. 2012;31:266–300.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. Machpherson AJ, Harris NL. Interactions between commensal intestinal bacteria and the immune system. Nat Rev Immunol. 2004;4:478–85.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Sjögren K, Endhal C, Henning P, Lerner UH, Tremaroli V, Lagerquist MK, et al. The gut microbiota regulates bone mass in mice. J Bone Miner Res. 2012;27:1357–67. This was the first study to offer a mechanism for how the gut microbiota might control bone mass.

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee. Report of the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee on the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2010. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, 2011.

  14. Palacios C, Martin BR, McCabe GP, McCabe L, Peacock M, Weaver CM. Dietary calcium requirements do not differ between Mexican American boys and girls. J Nutr. 2014;144:1167–73.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. Wastney ME, Martin BR, Peacock M, Smith D, Jiang X-Y, Jackman LA, et al. Changes in calcium kinetics in adolescent girls induced by high calcium intake. J Clin Endocrin Metab. 2000;85:4470–5.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Phang JM, Berman M, Finerman GA, Neer RM, Rosenberg LE, Hahn TJ. Dietary perturbation of calcium metabolism in normal man: compartmental analysis. J Clin Invest. 1969;48:67–77.

    Article  PubMed Central  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. Bronner F, Pansu D. Nutritional aspects of calcium absorption. J Nutr. 1999;129:9–12.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. Weaver CM. Calcium supplementation: is protecting against osteoporosis counter to protecting against cardiovascular disease. Curr Osteoporos Rep. 2014;12:211–8.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  19. Seki N, Hamano H, Iiyama Y, Asano Y, Kokubo S, Yamauchi K, et al. Effect of lactulose on calcium magnesium absorption: a study using stable isotopes in adult men. J Nutr Sci Vitaminol. 2007;53:5–12.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  20. Roberfroid M, Gibson GR, Hoyles L, McCartney AL, Rastall R, Rowland I, et al. Prebiotic effects: metabolic and health benefits. Br J Nutr. 2010;104:S1–63.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  21. Ariefdjohan MW, Brown-Esters ON, Savaiano DA. Ch. 38 Intestinal microflora and diet in health. In: Coulston, AM, Boushey, CJ, Ferruzzi MG, (eds). Nutrition in the prevention and treatment of disease 2013, 3rd Ed. Elsevier, Inc. (pp. 719–738).

  22. Ito M, Deguchi Y, Miyamori A, Matsumoto K, Kikuchi H, Matsumoto K, et al. Effects of administration of galactooligosaccarides on the human faecal microflora, stool weight and abdominal sensation. Microb Ecol Health Dis. 1990;3:285–92.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  23. Ballongue J, Schumann C, Quignon P. Effects of feeding lactitol on colonic microbiota and enzymatic activity. Scand J Gastroenterol. 1997;32:41–4.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  24. Nakatsu CH, Weaver CM, Martin BR, Clavijo A, Barnes S. Fecal bacterial community changes associated with isoflavone metabolites in postmenopausal women after soy bar consumption. PONE. 2014;9:e108924.

    Google Scholar 

  25. Park CY, Weaver CM. Calcium and bone health: influence of prebiotics. Funct Food Rev. 2011;3:62–72.

    Google Scholar 

  26. Weaver CM, Martin BR, Nakatsu CH, Armstrong AP, Clavijo A, McCabe LD, et al. Galactooligosaccharides improve mineral absorption and bone properties in growing rats through gut fermentation. J Agric Food Chem. 2011;59(12):6501–10.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  27. Abrams SA, Griffin IJ, Hawthorne KM, Liang L, Gunn SK, Darlington G, et al. A combination of prebiotic short- and long-chain inulin-type fructans enhances calcium absorption and bone mineralization in young adolescents. Am J Clin Nutr. 2005;82:471–6.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  28. Whisner CM, Martin BR, Schoterman MHC, Nakatsu CH, McCabe LD, McCabe GP, et al. Galacto-oligosaccharides increase calcium absorption and gut bifidobacteria in young girls: a double blind crossover trial. Br J Nutr. 2013;110:1292–303. This study evaluated the dose response effect of GOS on calcium absorption and specific gut bacteria in healthy pubertal girls. The benefit of this fiber affirmed the benefit of nondigestible fibers on bone in a similar age group [26].

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  29. Whisner CM, Martin BR, Nakatsu CH, McCabe GP, McCabe LD, Peacock M, et al. Soluble maize fibre affects short-term calcium absorption in adolescent boys and girls: a randomized controlled trial using dual stable isotopic tracers. Br J Nutr. 2014;112:446–56. This controlled feeding trial was unique in removing the confounding of a variable diet on changes in microbial communities. It was the first study to link changes in diet-induced microbiota with a functional outcome in healthy volunteers.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  30. Hoelster HD, Caporaso JG, Hooda S, Brulc JM, Fahey Jr GC, Swanson KS. Fiber supplementation influences phylogenetic structure and functional capacity of the human intestinal microbiome: follow-up of a randomized controlled trial. Am J Clin Nutr. 2014. doi:10.3945/ajcn.114.092064. This paper represents a well-executed, appropriately controlled human intervention that adds metagenomics analysis to previously reported fiber-induced shifts in microbial communities. This revealed some unpredicted changes that greatly expanded an understanding of the role of the gut microbiome in human health, though not specifically relevant to bone.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Compliance with Ethics Guidelines

Conflict of Interest

CM Weaver has received research support from Tate & Lyle and FrieslandCampina.

Human and Animal Rights and Informed Consent

This article does not contain any studies with human or animal subjects performed by any of the authors.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Nutrition Science, Purdue University, Wet Lafayette, IN, 47907-2059, USA

    Connie M. Weaver

Authors
  1. Connie M. Weaver
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Connie M. Weaver.

Additional information

This article is part of the Topical Collection on Nutrition, Exercise, and Lifestyle in Osteoporosis

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Weaver, C.M. Diet, Gut Microbiome, and Bone Health. Curr Osteoporos Rep 13, 125–130 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11914-015-0257-0

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11914-015-0257-0

Keywords

Search

Navigation