Assessment Of A Nutrient-Based Approach On Bone Health

Background: Complementary and alternative medicine use in adults with, or at risk for, osteopenia is common. Although most of the herbs and supplements appear to be fairly safe, there is insufficient evidence that demonstrates their beneficial effects. Aim of the Study: This study was done to determine whether the current nutrients improve indicators of calcium metabolism and bone status. Materials and Methods: This human clinical trial was randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, and prospective in design. Of a population of 72 individuals who were screened over the telephone, 47 post-menopausal females age 50-75 were included in the study. The enrolled subjects were randomly assigned to receive the active product or placebo, one capsule four times per day for six weeks. The major outcome variables were 24-hour urinary calcium per gram of creatinine, serum Bone Specific Alkaline Phosphatase (BSAP), C-Terminal Telopeptide (CTX), and Osteocalcin (OST). Results: At the conclusion of the study, subjects who received the active product showed reduction in the 24-hour urinary calcium loss and serum CTX levels. They revealed an increase in BSAP and no change was noted for OST. Conclusions: Nutrient-based supplementation is able to improve measures of calcium metabolism and bone health in postmenopausal females. Studies of longer duration using endpoints including fracture incidence and bone densitometry should be conducted in the future.