The effect of docosahexaenoic acid on bone microstructure in young mice and bone fracture in neonates
Abstract
BACKGROUND: As low bone mineral density is a risk factor for fracture in childhood, optimizing age appropriate bone mass is recommended and might lower the impact of bone loss related to age. Consumption of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), including eicosapentaenoic and docosahexaenoic (DHA) acids have been shown to beneficially modulate bone metabolism. The objective of this study was to determine the incidence of fracture in neonates receiving a fish compared with soybean oil-based intravenous lipid emulsion and evaluate the effect of varying dietary omega-3 PUFA consumption on growing bone in young mice.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: Eligibility criteria for the clinical study included gestational age ≤37 wk and parenteral nutrition-dependence for ≥4 wk. Radiographs were reviewed after lipid initiation to identify radiologic bone fracture. The animal study evaluated female C57/Bl6 mice randomized into one of five groups from age 3-12 wk, at which time femurs were harvested for micro-computed tomography and light microscopy analysis.
RESULTS: A lower incidence of bone fracture was found in neonates maintained on fish compared with soybean oil. In the animal study, findings suggest the DHA diet provides the best protection against trabecular bone loss as evidenced by increased bone volume fraction, increased trabecular number, and decreased trabecular separation on micro-computed tomography. These protective effects appeared to affect the bone microstructure alone.…
How strong is the evidence?
Evidence Hub reads this as a randomized trial, done in people. Its evidence level is 2 of 5 (High · randomized trial). Randomized trials of a reasonable size are the strongest single-study design.
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