Prebiotic enhances calcium absorption and bone mineralization /Study

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Subject: Prebiotic enhances calcium absorption and bone mineralization /Study

Food for "Good Bacteria" in Our Body Also Helps Strengthen Bones

By Greg Arnold, DC, CSCS, December 21, 2005, abstracted from “A combination of prebiotic short- and long-chain inulin-type fructans enhances calcium absorption and bone mineralization in young adolescents” in the August 2005 issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition

Thanks to increased awareness, the health benefits of probiotics, the “good bacteria” in our body, are becoming well known. In addition to helping prevent ulcers1 and stomach cancer in men,2 probiotics may also help prevent colon cancer3 and inflammatory bowel disease.4 The recommended dosage for probiotics is 4-8 million organisms per day, which can easily be found in a one-half teaspoon of a probiotic supplement.5

But what many people do not know is that probiotics need food, called prebiotics, to stay alive and keep us healthy. One such prebiotic is inulin, a sugar (fructose) found in a number of vegetables and plants including wheat, onion, bananas, garlic and chicory. It is estimated that Americans consume 1–4 g of inulin and oligofructose per day.6

Now a new study7 has found that getting your inulin will not only keep your probiotic bacteria well-fed and healthy, it may also increase the strength of bones in teenagers.

Calcium and magnesium are two of the most important minerals needed by teenagers to help achieve optimum bone mass by their late teen years. It has been suggested that teenagers need at least 1000-1300 mg per day of calcium for proper development8 and that calcium and magnesium need to be in a 2:1 ratio for optimal bone development.9

In the study, researchers gave pubertal adolescents either 8 grams per day of a mixed prebiotics consisting of inulin fructans or a sugar placebo for one year. Researchers measured bone mineral content (BMC) and bone mineral density (BMD) at the beginning of the study, 8 weeks into the study, and at the end of the study.

Researchers found that not only was calcium absorption “significantly greater” in the fructan group than in the control group at 8 weeks and one year, but the fructan group had a greater increase in both BMC and BMD than did the control group after one year. Unfortunately, the researchers did not propose a mechanism for how the prebiotics improved calcium absorption.

For the researchers, “Daily consumption of a combination of prebiotic short- and long-chain inulin-type fructans significantly increases calcium absorption and enhances bone mineralization during pubertal growth.”

Greg Arnold is a Chiropractic Physician practicing in Danville, CA. You can contact Dr. Arnold directly by emailing him at mailto:ChiroDocPSUalum@... or visiting his website www.CompleteChiropracticHealthcare.com

Reference:

1 Treiber, G., et al., Clinical outcome and influencing factors of a new short-term quadruple therapy for Helicobacter pylori eradication: a randomized controlled trial (MACLOR study). Arch Intern Med, 2002. 162(2): p. 153-60

2 Leung, W.K., et al., Factors predicting progression of gastric intestinal metaplasia: results of a randomised trial on Helicobacter pylori eradication. Gut, 2004. 53(9): p. 1244-9

3 Brady, L.J., D.D. Gallaher, and F.F. Busta, The role of probiotic cultures in the prevention of colon cancer. J Nutr, 2000. 130(2S Suppl): p. 410S-414S

4 Gionchetti P. Probiotics and barrier function in colitis. Gut. 2005 Jul;54(7):898-900

5 Brudnak, M., The Probiotic Solution: Nature's Best-Kept Secret for Radiant Health. 1st ed. 2003: Dragon Door Publications

6 Nineess KR. Inulin and Oligofructose: What are they? J Nutr 1999;129:1402S-1406S

7 Abrams, S. A., I. J. , et al. (2005). "A combination of prebiotic short- and long-chain inulin-type fructans enhances calcium absorption and bone mineralization in young adolescents." Am J Clin Nutr 82(2): 471-6

8 Weaver, C. M. (2000). "Calcium and magnesium requirements of children and adolescents and peak bone mass." Nutrition 16(7-8): 514-6

9 “Mineral Ratios” posted on www.acu-cell.com/mr.html

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