Probiotic supplements have been found to protect female mice from bone loss similar to what occurs during menopause in women after getting their ovaries removed.
In a study published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation, researchers from the Emory University School of Medicine and Georgia State University suggest that probiotic bacteria may be considered as an inexpensive post-menopausal osteoporosis treatment given the results they observed in female mice. However, just how long probiotic benefits last has not been explored much.
"Our findings highlight the role that intestinal microbes play in modulating gut permeability and inflammation in the context of sex steroid depletion," said Roberto Pacifici, M.D., the study's senior author.
The relationship between the immune system and post-menopausal osteoporosis has been established before but how the connection actually works is not clear. In mice, at least, the researchers discovered that losing estrogen leads to an increase in gut permeability, which causes intestinal immune cells to activate and signal bone break down. Probiotics step in to alleviate bone loss by reducing gut permeability and soothing the inflammation that activated the immune cells.
For the study, Pacifici and colleagues treated female mice with Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG (LGG) or a commercial mix of eight bacterial strains called VSL#3 twice a week.
After a month without ovaries, female mice not given probiotic bacteria were found to have lost their bones' density. Those given probiotics, on the other hand, maintained their bone density.
However, the type of bacteria administered is important too. For instance, mutant LGG that couldn't stick to intestinal cells properly provided little protective benefit.
The researchers conclude that some intestinal bacteria is needed for menopause-like bone loss to occur. Their next step — after considering that it's possible that the hormonal change led to reduced diversity in gut flora and could have aggravated bone loss — is to assess gut microbiome diversity after estrogen levels drop .
As such, it is also possible that preserving or promoting improved gut flora diversity through probiotic use can address the problem.
There are different sources of probiotics that women can check out to reap the benefits of good gut flora. These include yogurt, kefir, sauerkraut, dark chocolate, miso soup, pickles and tempeh.
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