Solutions for Stronger Skeletons

From the very young to the elderly, bone health is important. Specific bone concerns vary with age; for the young, building bone mass is important, and with age, maintaining bone strength and slowing bone loss become greater concerns.

“Bones support and protect the organs of the body, enable mobility, function as a mineral storage depot, and are responsible for the production of red and white blood cells,” explains Mai Nygaard, global director peptan at Rousselot, Son, the Netherlands (rousselot.com). “Involved in the healthy functioning of several body functions, bones—and critically, healthy bones—are important throughout various life stages, and in particular as we age.” 

Calcium and vitamin D are two nutrients consumers know are important for bone health. Calcium, a crucial bone mineral, plays a role in building strong bones. Vitamin D helps in the absorption of calcium and phosphorus, another important bone mineral. In addition to these essential nutrients, other nutritional ingredients have been shown to help build bone, maintain bone strength, aid in calcium absorption, and prevent bone loss. Here is a look at some of these skeletal-strengthening ingredients. 

Dairy Foods
Dairy foods are commonly associated with bone health because they are a main food source of calcium and vitamin D. Research conducted since 2010 indicates an overall benefit of adequate dairy consumption for bone health in adults, providing further support for consuming three servings of low-fat or fat-free dairy foods daily by Americans nine years and older (National Dairy Council 2014). Evidence indicates that consuming adequate amounts of dairy foods, calcium, and vitamin D can improve bone mass, markers of bone metabolism, or both, in adults, especially women.

The National Dairy Council, Rosemont, Ill. (nationaldairycouncil.org), cites prospective cohort studies supporting the benefits of dairy consumption on bone health parameters. In one study conducted on 625 postmenopausal women, a positive correlation was found between calcium intake from dairy foods and bone mineral density (BMD), whereas low dairy calcium intake was associated with previous bone fractures. In a 12-year follow-up of the Framingham Offspring Study of associations among various dairy foods and BMD and hip fracture risk, most dairy food consumption was associated with higher BMD at the hip and spine, while milk and fluid dairy consumption was associated with higher BMD at the hip but not the spine. 

Protein and Calcium
Protein is mostly associated with building and maintaining lean muscle. When it comes to bone health, protein is believed to be associated with bone density. Information from the National Dairy Council explains that “BMD may actually benefit from high-protein diets” if “the diet also meet[s] the recommended dietary allowance of calcium and vitamin D.” Kerstetter et al. (2003) indicated that a low-protein diet may decrease calcium absorption and be associated with low bone density.

“The key nutrient for good bone health is calcium, and the best source of this has been shown to be calcium derived from milk,” says Anne Poulsen, business development manager for performance health & nutrition at Arla Foods Ingredients, Viby J, Denmark (arlafoodsingredients.com).

“What makes milk calcium superior to other calcium sources becomes apparent when comparing the effects on bone mass accretion,” explains Poulsen. “The bioavailability of calcium from a food source is best evaluated by measuring its effect on changes in bone mass over time. Studies have shown that the gain in bone mass density obtained by supplementation with milk calcium is still present years after the supplementation has ended. This is opposed to supplementing with inorganic calcium, where the gain in bone mass density is reversed after withdrawal of the supplementation,” she continues.

Arla offers Capolac milk calcium and Nutrilac Ageless whey protein and calcium. Capolac milk calcium can be formulated into a wide range of products for women, seniors, and infants. Introduced this year, Nutrilac Ageless whey protein and calcium ingredient enables dairy companies to create yogurts and desserts for active seniors. “Using Nutrilac Ageless, it’s possible to formulate yogurts and desserts with 200 mg of calcium and 7.5 g of protein per 100 g of product. This represents 25% of the recommended daily intake of calcium for an adult. Manufacturers can also use Nutrilac Ageless to create ice creams with 240 mg of calcium and 7.5 g of protein per 100 g,” says Poulsen.

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Collagen Peptides
“Proteins such as collagen peptides are essential for healthy bones as they act as building blocks, promote intestinal calcium absorption, and stimulate bone formation,” explains Nygaard. “As the most abundant protein in the body, collagen makes up 90% of bones’ organic scaffold, provides the structural framework for calcium and other minerals, and is responsible for flexibility.” Intake of 10 g of collagen peptide/day has been shown to increase BMD in osteopenic women.

Nygaard states that research has demonstrated that a daily intake of Rousselot’s Peptan collagen peptides can help restore BMD and improve bone strength. “On a cellular level, Peptan collagen peptides strengthen bone by stimulating bone-forming cells, osteoblasts, compared to bone-resorbing cells, osteoclasts, tipping the balance towards a net bone matrix formation. Guillerminet et al. (2010) clearly showed this effect in an in vitro study, where osteoblast cells’ activity was stimulated after being cultured in the presence of Peptan for 2 weeks, while a control protein did not apply the same effect.”

To help manufacturers formulate new collagen-fortified applications, Rousselot has developed a range of innovative product concepts to showcase trends for senior nutrition. Good4Bone Dairy Shot is a fresh, high-protein probiotic drink formulated with key ingredients to promote bone health. Peptan, supported by calcium and vitamin D, ensures the optimal protein content to build the bone matrix while kefir offers digestive and gut health benefits. Peptan Pumpkin Soup combines Peptan, pumpkin, chestnut, and milk.

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Recently, Rousselot announced that it has become the official Nutrition Supporter of World Osteoporosis Day in 2015. Led by the International Osteoporosis Foundation, this annual event aims at raising awareness of the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of osteoporosis.

Gelita, Sergeant Bluff, Iowa (gelita.com), also offers bioactive collagen peptides that have been shown to stimulate osteoblasts to increase production of extracellular bone matrix, which is the essential framework for calcium mineralization. FORTIBONE collagen peptides regulate degenerative processes by reducing protease production in osteoclasts and supply the body with basic components for a strong and stable bone structure. This mechanism supports overall bone stability and flexibility.

Prebiotic Fiber
Whisner (2014) showed that soluble corn fiber (SCF) may not simply boost fiber intake when added to foods, but can also increase the amount of beneficial bacteria present in the gut while enhancing calcium absorption in adolescents. The researchers studied the potential effect of SCF on calcium absorption and retention in adolescents with a usual diet that was low in fiber. In a controlled dietary study, adolescent girls and boys who consumed 12 g of fiber from SCF/day absorbed significantly more calcium (a 12% increase versus a control) than when consuming no SCF (Tate & Lyle 2014). Additionally, the researchers found that when the adolescents consumed SCF, there was an increase in specific strains of beneficial gut bacteria, namely the phylum Bacteroidetes, and these increases were positively correlated with increases in calcium absorption.

If the adolescents in this study had continued to consume SCF, allowing for increased calcium absorption, the researchers estimated that this would lead to an additional 41.4 mg/day of retained calcium, and if persistent over a year would account for an additional 15.1 g of calcium, or about 1.8% of total body calcium. The soluble corn fiber used in the study was added to fruit snacks and provided by Tate & Lyle, Decatur, Ill. (tateandlyle.com). 

Other prebiotics have also been shown to aid in calcium absorption. BENEO, Morris Plains, N.J. (beneo.com), offers Orafti Synergy1 oligofructose-enriched inulin. The bacterial fermentation of the fibers that are extracted from chicory increases the absorption capacity for calcium by extending the absorption capacity to the large intestine. Its chain length pattern has been found to be particularly efficient in enhancing the bioavailability of calcium in the diet and to support calcium absorption. 

Ingredion, Westchester, Ill. (ingredion.com), offers NUTRAFLORA short-chain fructooligosaccharide. It is derived from pure sugar cane, utilizing a proprietary biofermentation process and non-GMO ingredients, resulting in the purest form of short-chain fructooligosaccharides. 

Cargill, Wayzata, Minn. (cargill.com), offers Oliggo-Fiber chicory root inulin. It is a naturally sourced fructan extracted from chicory root. Research indicates that chicory root inulin may enhance dietary calcium absorption, particularly among preteens and postmenopausal women.

Vitamin K
Vitamin K has been shown to be beneficial in heart health by helping to keep excess calcium out of the arteries. In bone health, vitamin K2 affects the binding of calcium in the bones. PLT Health Solutions, Morristown, N.J. (plthealth.com), offers MenaQ7 natural vitamin K2 (MK-7) as a fermentation extract, whereby vitamin K2 is manufactured using Bacillus licheniformis, providing soy-free production.

In a double-blind, randomized clinical trial, Knapen et al. (2013) showed that when MenaQ7 was taken daily in nutritional doses (180 mcg) for three years, it improved BMD, bone strength, and cardiovascular health in healthy postmenopausal women. Because of the long time frame for the study, it was the first MK-7 trial to show these benefits in a nutritional dose. This was also the first study to show clear, statistically significant improvements in bone health and cardiovascular health.

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Members Only: Read more about ingredients that may help improve bone strength online at ift.org. Type the keywords into the search box at the upper right side of the home page.

Linda Milo Ohr,
Contributing Editor
Denver, Colo.
[email protected]

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