Preventing bone loss and weight gain with combinations of vitamin D and phytochemicals

J Med Food. 2011 Nov;14(11):1352-62. doi: 10.1089/jmf.2010.0232. Epub 2011 Jun 11.

Abstract

Vitamin D and certain natural compounds have been shown to regulate both lipid metabolism and bone formation. Treatments that prevent or reverse age-related increase in bone marrow adiposity could both increase new bone formation and inhibit bone destruction. We tested the hypothesis that dietary supplementation with combinations of vitamin D and phytochemicals inhibits bone loss and decreases adiposity to a greater extent than control or vitamin D-alone diets. Aged ovariectomized female rats (12 months old, n=50, initial body weight=240 g) were given control (AIN-93M diet), vitamin D (2,400 IU/kg), or vitamin D plus resveratrol (16, 80, or 400 mg/kg of diet [low, medium, and high dose, respectively]), quercetin (80, 400, or 2,000 mg/kg of diet), and genistein (64, 256, or 1,040 mg/kg of diet) for 8 weeks. The high-dose treatment (vitamin D+400 mg/kg resveratrol+2,000 mg/kg quercetin+1,040 mg/kg genistein) reduced body weight gain (P<.05) and the fat pad weights (P<.05). This treatment also increased the serum concentration of insulin-like growth factor-1 (P<.05) and the bone mineral content of the femur. Micro-computed tomography and histomorphometric analyses indicated that the high-dose treatment prevented loss of trabecular bone (P<.05) and reduced marrow adipocytes (P<.001) and osteoclasts (P<.05) compared with the control and vitamin D alone (P<.05). We conclude that aged ovariectomized female rats supplemented with vitamin D combined with genistein, quercetin, and resveratrol had improved bone mineral density and reduced body weight gain and a significant decrease in bone marrow adipocytes. The synergistic effects of a combination of phytochemicals with vitamin D may be effective in reducing bone loss and weight gain after menopause.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adipose Tissue / drug effects
  • Adiposity / drug effects
  • Animals
  • Bone Density / drug effects
  • Bone Diseases, Metabolic / prevention & control*
  • Diet
  • Dietary Supplements*
  • Drug Combinations*
  • Female
  • Femur / drug effects
  • Genistein / administration & dosage
  • Ovariectomy
  • Phytotherapy / methods*
  • Quercetin / administration & dosage
  • Rats
  • Rats, Inbred F344
  • Resveratrol
  • Stilbenes / administration & dosage
  • Vitamin D / administration & dosage*
  • Weight Gain / drug effects*

Substances

  • Drug Combinations
  • Stilbenes
  • Vitamin D
  • Quercetin
  • Genistein
  • Resveratrol