title: Nondigestible oligosaccharides increase calcium absorption and suppress bone resorption in ovariectomized rats.
abstract: Nondigestible oligosaccharides (NDO) including inulin and fructooligosaccharides (FOS) have been reported to stimulate calcium absorption. Here we report the effect of a mixture of inulin and FOS (Raftilose Synergy 1, Orafti) on calcium and bone metabolism in ovariectomized (OVX) rats. OVX rats (6 mo old) were fed a semipurified diet for 3 mo in our animal care laboratory for stabilization after ovariectomy. They were then divided into two groups (n = 13/group) and fed either a control or a NDO-supplemented diet (55 g/kg) for 21 d. Catheters were placed in their jugular veins. After 2 d, a tracer ((45)Ca) was administered by gavage or i.v. and blood was sampled for up to 300 min. Urine and fecal samples were collected for 4 d after (45)Ca administration. Femurs were measured for bone mineral density (BMD), breaking strength, and total calcium. Calcium absorption, femoral calcium content, BMD, and bone balance (V(bal)) were significantly increased (P < 0.05) by NDO, whereas the bone resorption rate relative to the bone formation rate was significantly depressed by NDO. We conclude that feeding NDO at 5.5 g/100 g for 21 d has a positive effect on calcium absorption and retention in ovariectomized rats.
authors.affiliation: Foods and Nutrition, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA.
authors.forename: Tasleem A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Zafar
authors.forename: Connie M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Weaver
authors.forename: Yongdong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Berdine R
authors.initials: BR
authors.lastname: Martin
authors.forename: Meryl E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Wastney
mesh_terms: D000042:Absorption; D000818:Animals; D001862:Bone Resorption / Q000378:metabolism*; D001842:Bone and Bones / Q000378:metabolism*; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D004063:Digestion; D005260:Female; D009844:Oligosaccharides / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010052:Ovariectomy; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley
chemical_list: D009844:Oligosaccharides; D002118:Calcium