Hop rho iso-alpha acids, berberine, vitamin D3 and vitamin K1 favorably impact biomarkers of bone turnover in postmenopausal women in a 14-week trial

Abstract

Osteoporosis is a major health issue facing postmenopausal women. Increased production of pro-inflammatory cytokines resulting from declining estrogen leads to increased bone resorption. Nutrition can have a positive impact on osteoporosis prevention and amelioration. The objective of this study was to investigate the impact of targeted phytochemicals and nutrients essential for bone health on bone turnover markers in healthy postmenopausal women. In this 14-week, single-blinded, 2-arm placebo-controlled pilot study, all women were instructed to consume a modified Mediterranean-style low-glycemic-load diet and to engage in limited aerobic exercise; 17 randomized to the placebo and 16 to the treatment arm (receiving 200 mg hop rho iso-alpha acids, 100 mg berberine sulfate trihydrate, 500 IU vitamin D(3) and 500 microg vitamin K(1), twice daily). Thirty-two women completed the study. Baseline nutrient intake did not differ between arms. At 14 weeks, the treatment arm exhibited an estimated 31% mean reduction (P = 0.02) in serum osteocalcin (a marker of bone turnover), whereas the placebo arm exhibited a 19% increase (P = 0.03) compared to baseline. Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) increased by 13% (P = 0.24) in the treatment arm and decreased by 25% (P < 0.01) in the placebo arm. The between-arm differences for OC and 25(OH)D were statistically significant. Serum IGF-I was increased in both arms, but the increase was more significant in the treatment arm at 14 weeks (P < 0.01). Treatment with hop rho iso-alpha acids, berberine sulfate trihydrate, vitamin D(3) and vitamin K(1) produced a more favorable bone biomarker profile that supports a healthy bone metabolism.

Berberine and barberry (Berberis vulgaris): A clinical review

“…The treated women showed 31% mean reduction in serum osteocalcin (a marker of bone turnover) and 13% increase in serum 25‐hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH) D). Treatment with this supplemental regimen produced a more favorable bone biomarker profile (Holick et al, ). However, in this study berberine has been administered beside some other agents and diet modifications.…”

Effects of Dietary or Supplementary Micronutrients on Sex Hormones and IGF-1 in Middle and Older Age: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

“…Seven of the nine studies identified as multi-nutrient interventions [130,[132][133][134][135][136][137] reported on IGF-1, suggesting little or no effect (MD: 0.60 nmol/L, 95% CI −1.12 to 2.33, I2 0%, 519 participants, Figure 6). Effects did not differ in fixed-effects meta-analysis (MD: 0.60 nmol/L, 95% CI −1.12 to 2.33), suggesting that small study bias is not an issue here.…”

“…For multi-nutrient interventions the composition of the nutrients varied substantially [130,[132][133][134][135][136] with some containing more than 20 different micronutrients [132,137], making it difficult to attribute benefit to any specific micronutrient. A number of studies also included additional protein making it difficult to isolate any specific effects of micronutrients from those of protein [61,132,137,144,145].…”

Hop Extracts and Hop Substances in Treatment of Menopausal Complaints

“…One of the most prominent physiological effects of the hormonal decline associated with menopause is the loss of bone mass ultimately leading to osteoporosis. It has been shown that in addition to hop-derived rho iso-alpha acids [20,21], all major hop flavanones 8-PN, 6-PN, XH, and IXH possess E2-like effects on osteogenic differentiation in vitro [22]. Concerning the in vivo situation, one of the first publications on 8-PN elucidated its effect on bone mineral density (BMD) of ovariectomized (ovx) rats following 14 days of treatment.…”