Bone mineral density (BMD) and microstructure depend on estrogens and diet. We assessed the impact of natural mineral-rich water ingestion on distal femur of fructose-fed estrogen-deficient female Sprague Dawley rats. Ovariectomized rats drank tap or mineral-rich waters, with or without 10%-fructose, for 10 weeks. A sham-operated group drinking tap water was included (n = 6/group). Cancellous and cortical bone compartments were analyzed by microcomputed tomography. Circulating bone metabolism markers were measured by enzyme immunoassay/enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay or multiplex bead assay. Ovariectomy significantly worsened cancellous but not cortical bone, significantly increased circulating degradation products from C-terminal telopeptides of type I collagen and receptor activator of nuclear factor-kappaB ligand (RANKL), and significantly decreased circulating osteoprotegerin and osteoprotegerin/RANKL ratio. In ovariectomized rats, in cancellous bone, significant water effect was observed for all microstructural properties, except for the degree of anisotropy, and BMD (neither a significant fructose effect nor a significant interaction between water and fructose ingestion effects were observed). In cortical bone, it was observed a significant (a) water effect for medullary volume and cortical endosteal perimeter; (b) fructose effect for cortical thickness, medullary volume, cross-sectional thickness and cortical endosteal and periosteal perimeters; and (c) interaction effect for mean eccentricity. In blood, significant fructose and interaction effects were found for osteoprotegerin (no significant water effect was seen). For the first time in ovariectomized rats, the positive modulation of cortical but not of cancellous bone by fructose ingestion and of both bone locations by natural mineral-rich water ingestion is described.
Keywords: bone microstructure; bone mineral density; cancellous bone; cortical bone; fructose; mineral water; ovariectomy.