Effect of a Nutritional Supplementation on Bone Health in Chilean Elderly Subjects with Femoral Osteoporosis

Objective: To study the effects of a special nutritional supplement on bone mineral density and bone turnover markers in Chilean elderly subjects with femoral osteoporosis.

Setting: Public primary health care clinics in Chile.

Subjects: Free living elderly subjects with femoral osteoporosis.

Interventions: Subjects were randomized to receive the usual nutritional supplement provided by the Chilean Ministry of Health or a special nutritional supplement providing, among other nutrients, 90 mg isoflavones, 800 mg calcium, 400 IU vitamin D, 60 ug vitamin K and 31 g proteins per day.

Measures of Outcome: At baseline, and after six and twelve months of supplementation, body composition, bone mineral density, serum 25 OH vitamin D, intact parathyroid hormone (iPTH), osteocalcin, decarboxylated osteocalcin, urinary aminoterminal telopeptide of type I collagen (NTX), deoxypyridoline cross links (Dpd) and equol were measured. Every month, urinary daidzein was measured in a morning urine sample.

Results: No differences between treatment groups were observed in body composition or bone mineral density changes. The group receiving the special supplement had a significant increase in serum 25 OH vitamin D and a significant decrease in serum iPTH and decarboxylated osteocalcin. No association between daidzein or equol excretion and changes in bone mineralization was observed.

Conclusions: A special supplement delivered to elderly subjects with osteoporosis improved serum vitamin D and reduced serum iPTH and undercarboxylated osteocalcin levels but did not affect BMD.