What you eat and the kind of bacteria it brings to your gut and their amount can certainly affect your skeletal health. It can have an impact on your overall bone architecture and raise or lower your bone mineral density. Too much bad bacteria may lead to bone loss, osteoporosis, and bone fractures. This insightful connection has been explored in a 2023 osteomicrobiology research published in the Frontiers in Endocrinology Journals.
Naming the bone-damaging bacteria
The two large-scale observational study showed a link between the gut microbiome and skeletal metabolism. The two cohorts investigated in this research were the Framingham Heart Study which began in 1948. Its respondents were 1227 community-based residents from the town of Framingham, Massachusetts, and surrounding towns. Their age range is 32 – 89. Whereas, the other cohort – the Osteoporosis in Men Study (MrOS,) has 836 participants. The respondents were recruited from six clinical sites in the U.S. between 2000 and 2002. They were community-dwelling older men with ages ranging from 78 – 98. In both cohorts, the participants’ stool samples were collected.
The researchers observed that some genera affect bone health conditions. For example, Genera DTU089 which is a member Clostridia bacteria class is linked to lower bone density. Meanwhile, a high number of Akkermansia and genera DTU089 is associated with lower radius total bone mass density (BMD) and tibia cortical volume bone mass density (vBMD). A low BMD value increases the risk of a person having a bone fracture. Moreover, a high number of bacteria such as the Lachnospiraceae NK4A136 group, and Faecalibacterium in your gut can also affect the larger bones in your lower leg, as it is found to be associated with greater tibia cortical vBMD. (1)
In addition to these findings, the researchers also observed that some compounds needed by the body such as histidine, purine, and pyrimidine biosynthesis are linked to tibia cortical compartment bone measures particularly the moderate increase of the tibia cortical bone area and tibia cortical thickness. (1)
Revamp your microbiome
Knowing that gut microbiome can influence skeletal metabolism, it’s ideal to target altering your gut microbiome composition to improve bone health. Be mindful that each food you eat can provide you with good or bad bacteria which can be beneficial or damaging to your bone health and may lower or increase your risk of having bone- problems.
Microbiome-friendly diet for better bone health and lower risk of osteoporosis
Eating foods that are good for your gut means making your bones healthy too. Take more foods and nutrients that feed a healthy microbiome by consuming fruits, vegetables, and nuts. Add more microbiome-promoting fibers such as whole grains, oatmeal, and beans, and consider having a Mediterranean diet to have a healthier gut and bones. (2)
References:
- (1) Okoro PC, Orwoll ES, Huttenhower C, Morgan X, Kuntz TM, McIver LJ, Dufour AB, Bouxsein ML, Langsetmo L, Farsijani S, Kado DM, Pacifici R, Sahni S and Kiel DP (2023) A two-cohort study on the association between the gut microbiota and bone density, microarchitecture, and strength. Front. Endocrinol. 14:1237727. doi: 10.3389/fendo.2023.1237727
- (2) (2022, April 5.) Adding key foods to a diet will help restore gut health. University of Washington Medicine. https://newsroom.uw.edu/blog/adding-key-foods-diet-will-help-restore-gut-health. Retrieved on 2024, December 7
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