Probiotics and power training: new tools for stronger bones and fewer falls?
Paula Goodyer
Could probiotics help ward off osteoporosis in older people? Yes, say Swedish researchers whose new study found that taking a probiotic halved bone loss in a group of elderly women.
The researchers from the University of Gothenburg randomized 90 women aged 75 to 80 to receive either probiotic powder with Lactobacillus reuteri 6475 bacteria or a placebo every day for a year. CT scans of their lower legs found that those taking the probiotic supplement had lost only half as much bone as those taking the placebo.
“There are effective medications to treat osteoporosis, but because bone fragility is rarely detected before the first fracture, there is a pressing need for preventive treatments,” says Professor Mattias Lorentzon, one of the study’s authors.
Although research in mice has found that gut bacteria have an effect on bone this is the first study to use probiotics to reduce bone loss in humans - although how it works isn’t clear.
Meanwhile new Australian research suggests that improving explosive muscle power - not just muscle strength - could prevent falls in women with osteoporosis. A study of older women with low bone mass from Deakin University’s Institute for Physical Activity and Nutrition has found that neuromuscular power - used in explosive movements like jumping - is more important for balance than muscle strength or size.
“Explosive power training could be important to integrate into falls prevention and balance training programs in post-menopausal women with low bone mass,” said researcher Associate Professor Daniel Belavy. “We all lose muscle power as we age and it is important for post-menopausal women in particular to try and include some form of rapid explosive muscular or movement training into their fitness routine.”