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  3. Does the gut microbiota play a key role in bone fragility?
The power of your gut

Does the gut microbiota play a key role in bone fragility?

Osteoporosis
The gut microbiota

Does bone health depend on our gut microbiota? So suggests a study 1 linking the risk of fragility fractures to the bacteria present in our digestive system. 

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About this article

Created 31 October 2024
Updated 07 November 2024

The risk of so-called (sidenote: Fragility fractures Fragility fractures result from low-energy trauma (a mechanical force that would not ordinarily cause a fracture), such as a fall from standing height or less. These fractures are the main clinical consequence of osteoporosis, although they may occur in postmenopausal women even in the absence of osteoporosis.  ) (i.e. with no major trauma), largely linked to osteoporosis, increases with age, with one in two women and one in four men suffering an osteoporotic fracture at some point: fracture of the femoral neck after a very light fall, broken wrist as a result of minor trauma, vertebral compression, etc.

Bone is constantly remodeling itself and tends to be destroyed faster than it can be rebuilt after the age of 45. In addition to traditional bone protection methods such as a healthy diet and physical exercise, a new avenue is opening up: the gut microbiota, already implicated in bone health and the risk of osteoporosis. A new study has shown that our gut flora predicts the risk of ending up in a cast.

178 million

In 2019, there were 178 million new fractures globally, an increase of 33.4% since 1990, partly driven by population growth and ageing. 2

Gut bacteria: friend or enemy of our bones?

A healthy gut microbiota rests on a wide variety of gut bacteria. This diversity also has consequences for bone strength, say researchers who analyzed the microbiota of over 7,000 Finns. The verdict: the more diverse the microbiota, the lower the risk of fracture.

Fractures are more likely to occur in older people, especially older women. 2

How can this link be explained? Among the many bacteria that colonize our gut, some have a beneficial effect, while others weaken our bones. Proteobacteria, already implicated in various types of inflammatory bowel disease and irritable bowel syndrome, may also promote more generalized inflammation in the body, and with it bone fragility.

Conversely, Tenericutes produce tiny fatty acids, including butyrate, which have a protective anti-inflammatory effect.

24.01.2024 Bone appétit! Good bacteria to have healthy bones Read more

A balanced microbiota for strong bones?

The future of fragility fracture prevention may thus be a question of rebalancing your gut flora. In addition to an adequate intake of calcium and vitamin D, for healthy bones, take care of your “good” bacteria.

How to avoid fragility fractures? ²

• Improvement of diet and nutrition

• Regular exercise and physical activity

• Smoking cessation

• Limitation of alcohol consumption

• Treatment of osteoporosis

• Prevention of falls

Despite these promising results, considerable work is still required to confirm a causal relationship between bacteria and fractures, and to understand how gut bacteria act to protect or weaken bones. In the meantime, for strong bones into old age, make sure to mind your gut.

The gut microbiota

Learn more
Sources

1. Grahnemo L, Kambur O, Lahti L et al. Associations between gut microbiota and incident fractures in the FINRISK cohort. NPJ Biofilms Microbiomes. 2024 Aug 14;10(1):69. doi: 10.1038/s41522-024-00530-8.

2. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/fragility-fractures

Tags
Gut Gut microbiota Osteoporosis Elderly Senior Frailty Microbiome Flora

    See also

    Actu GP : Analyser le microbiote intestinal pour déterminer le risque d’ostéoporose ? Can an analysis of the gut microbiota determine the risk of osteoporosis?
    Osteoporosis: using bacteria to reduce fractures?
    Created 31 October 2024
    Updated 07 November 2024

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