As reported on November 17, 2017 a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study in 90 older women showed that supplementation of the probiotic strain Lactobacillus reuteri ATCC PTA 6475 decreased bone loss compared to placebo. The study has now been published online in Journal of Internal Medicine.
Lactobacillus reuteri ATCC PTA 6475 is a naturally occurring bacteria in the gastrointestinal tract of humans and has been shown to have beneficial effects on bone in animals.
In a randomized controlled trial conducted at the University of Gothenburg, older women with incipient osteoporosis received supplementation of the probiotic Lactobacillus reuteri ATCC PTA 6475 or placebo for one year. In the group supplemented by Lactobacillus reuteri the loss in bone density was halved compared to placebo.
“This trial provides the first evidence that age-dependent bone loss can be reduced with probiotic supplementation, which could emerge as a novel approach to prevent osteoporosis,” says Professor Mattias Lorentzon at the University of Gothenburg and Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Mölndal, Sweden.
“Up to 50 percent of older women are affected by fractures. The fact that Lactobacillus reuteriATCC PTA 6475 was shown to reduce bone loss in this group is therefore very promising. We hope that further studies will confirm the results, so that this new way of maintaining good bone health and thereby reducing the risk of fractures in old age can be of use both for the individual and the society”, says Sebastian Schröder, Acting Managing Director, BioGaia.
Source: Biogaia