Bones: Omega-3 supplements improve structure and mobility

Long-term intake of Omega 3 fatty acids can improve the structural and mechanical properties of bones. This was demonstrated by researchers at the Collaborating Center for Osteoporosis Prevention of the University Hospital of Geneva (Switzerland) through a study conducted on mice. The results were published in the Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry. Nicolas Bonnet and Serge Ferrari concluded that the most effective Omega-3 for bone health is eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), a nutrient abundant in fatty fish.

Omega-3 and bone health

Research over the years has suggested that a diet rich in Omega-3 can prevent bone tissue loss. Animal studies, confirmed by laboratory experiments, have shown that an imbalanced ratio of Omega-3 to Omega-6 in favor of the former positively influences skeleton health. However, these studies focused on Omega-3 intake over a limited time. To deepen the relationship between these nutrients and bone health, Bonnet and Ferrari analyzed the effects of lifelong administration of EPA and DHA (another Omega-3 found in fatty fish) in adult mice.

The study

The research involved feeding 30 female mice aged between 3 and 17 months with a control diet or food enriched with EPA or DHA. The effects of the different diets were evaluated primarily by analyzing the microstructure of the bones. The biomechanical properties of the bone were studied through a test assessing elasticity and flexibility of the materials. Finally, the extent of bone tissue remodeling was evaluated by monitoring markers of bone turnover and morphology.

Omega-3 for bones: the results

The data revealed that Omega-3s do not prevent loss of inner tibial bone tissue. However, 8 months of EPA or DHA intake increased the volume of porous tissue inside the vertebrae at the lower end of the spine by 26.6% and 17.2%, respectively. This effect does not increase further with prolonged Omega-3 supplementation. In addition to this, EPA also increases the volume and thickness of the bone tissue surrounding the femur by 8.1% and 4.4%, respectively. Furthermore, only this fatty acid (and not DHA) limits the age-related 13% reduction in osteocalcin, a bone protein, and promotes increased levels of IGF-1, a molecular marker of bone tissue production. Both Omega-3s are associated with increased levels of leptin, a hormone that regulates bone formation. Overall, these results indicate that prolonged intake of Omega-3 fatty acids, especially in the form of EPA, can help improve bone health.    

Source 

1. Bonnet N, Ferrari SL, “Effects of long-term supplementation with omega-3 fatty acids on longitudinal changes in bone mass and microstructure in mice”, J Nutr Biochem. 2011 Jul;22(7):665-72. Epub 2010 Oct 30