vitamin-b-12 and Osteoporosis--Postmenopausal

The relationship of homocysteine (Hcy), folate, and vitamin B12 with bone mineral density (BMD) has been investigated in postmenopausal women. However, the relationship is still controversial.. To evaluate the association of Hcy, folate, vitamin B12 and BMD in postmenopausal women with a meta-analysis.. We searched for all published articles indexed in Medline (1950-2012), Embase (1974-2012), and China National Knowledge Infrastructure (1994-2012). Any case-control or cohort study relating to Hcy, vitamin B12, folate, and BMD was included, and the data were extracted independently by two reviewers. Criteria for inclusion were the assessment of Hcy, vitamin B12, folate, and BMD in postmenopausal women as outcomes. We performed this meta-analysis with Review Manager 5.1 software. Odds ratios and 95 % confidence intervals (CI) were used to evaluate the results.. Six eligible studies were selected for meta-analysis. Our analysis suggested that vitamin B12 and Hcy levels were significantly higher in postmenopausal osteoporosis (PMOP) group than that in controls (P = 0.007, <0.05; 95 % CI 3.06-19.38 and P = 0.0003, <0.05; 95 % CI 0.75-2.52, respectively). Folate level was lower in PMOP group than that in controls, but this difference was not statistically significant (P = 0.09, 95 % CI -3.33 to 0.25).. Hcy and vitamin B12, but not folate, were related to BMD in PMOP. Extra vitamin B12 may not play a protective role for osteoporosis in postmenopausal women. Future studies are needed to confirm them, especially the relationship between increased vitamin B12 and BMD.

Topics: Bone Density; Case-Control Studies; China; Cohort Studies; Confidence Intervals; Female; Folic Acid; Homocysteine; Humans; Middle Aged; Osteoporosis, Postmenopausal; Postmenopause; Vitamin B 12

Osteoporosis is an age-related bone disease, affecting mainly postmenopausal women, characterized by decreased bone mineral density (BMD) and consequent risk of fractures. Homocysteine (Hcy), a sulfur-aminoacid whose serum level is regulated by methylenetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) activity and vitamin B12 and folate as cofactors, is a risk factor for inflammatory diseases. Literature data concerning the link between Hcy and osteoporosis are still debated. The aim of our study was to assess the relationship among Hcy and BMD, inflammation, vitamin status and bone turnover in postmenopausal osteoporosis. In 252 postmenopausal women, BMD was measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). In addition to serum Hcy, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), C-reactive protein (CRP) and bone turnover markers (bone alkaline phosphatase-BAP, osteocalcin-OC, C-terminal telopeptide of type I collagen (CTX), vitamin deficiencies and MTHFR-C677T polymorphism were evaluated. Hcy, inflammation, bone resorption markers and prevalence of C677T polymorphism were higher, whereas vitamin D, B12, folate, and bone formation markers were lower in women with decreased BMD compared to those with normal BMD. Our results suggest a significant association between Hcy, BMD and inflammation in postmenopausal osteoporosis. The regulation of Hcy overproduction and the modulation of the inflammatory substrate could represent additional therapeutic approaches for osteoporosis prevention.

Topics: Bone Density; Female; Folic Acid; Folic Acid Deficiency; Homocysteine; Humans; Hyperhomocysteinemia; Inflammation; Methylenetetrahydrofolate Reductase (NADPH2); Middle Aged; Osteitis; Osteoporosis, Postmenopausal; Oxidoreductases; Polymorphism, Genetic; Postmenopause; Vitamin B 12; Vitamin B 12 Deficiency

Osteoporosis is most common age related, multifactorial disease. The aim of the researchers were to discover the association between serum homocysteine, vitamin D, vitamin B

Topics: Absorptiometry, Photon; Aged; Bone Density; Cross-Sectional Studies; Female; Homocysteine; Humans; Middle Aged; Osteoporosis, Postmenopausal; Postmenopause; Vitamin B 12; Vitamin D

To investigate diet and nutrition-related factors associated with bone loss in a group of postmenopausal (PM) women. Nutritional intake, inflammatory markers and body composition (weight, body mass index, fat/lean mass) were analysed for associations with bone mineral density (BMD).. A cross sectional study examining correlations between BMD (Duel-energy X ray absorptiometry; (DXA) and dietary intake (3-day diaries), body composition and plasma bone and inflammatory markers: C-terminal telopeptide of type I collagen (CTX) and procollagen type I N propeptide (P1NP), C- reactive protein (CRP), interleukin 6 and 10 (IL-6, IL-10), tumour necrosis factor (TNF) and osteoprotegerin (OPG).. Community dwelling women from the Auckland, Hawke's Bay and Manawatu regions in New Zealand.. 142 healthy, PM women aged 50-70 years.. OPG (per kilogram fat mass) was increased in women with osteoporosis (p<0.001) compared to groups classified with normal BMD and osteopenia. Protein, vitamin B12, zinc, potassium and dairy intake were all positively correlated with higher BMD while dairy and potassium intakes also inversely correlated with CTX. Body composition (weight, BMI and fat/lean mass) had strong positive associations with BMD. Multiple regression analysis showed body weight, potassium and dairy intake were predictors of increased BMD in PM women and explained 39% (r2=0.39, p< 0.003) of variance.. BMD was negatively correlated with OPG and positively with weight, dairy and potassium intake. This study highlights the importance of maintaining adequate body weight and emphasising dairy and potassium predominantly sourced from fruit/vegetables to reduce bone loss at midlife.

Topics: Absorptiometry, Photon; Aged; Body Composition; Body Mass Index; Body Weight; Bone Density; Bone Diseases, Metabolic; C-Reactive Protein; Collagen Type I; Cross-Sectional Studies; Cytokines; Dairy Products; Diet; Dietary Proteins; Female; Health; Humans; Inflammation; Interleukin-10; Interleukin-6; Middle Aged; New Zealand; Osteoporosis, Postmenopausal; Osteoprotegerin; Peptide Fragments; Peptides; Postmenopause; Potassium; Procollagen; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; Vitamin B 12; Zinc

To test whether in Moroccan healthy postmenopausal women, levels of plasma total homocysteine (tHcy), folate, and vitamin B12 are related to BMD. A total of 188 volunteer postmenopausal women were recruited from our blood taking center between April 2008 and December 2008. Each subject completed a standardized questionnaire designed to document putative risk factors of osteoporosis. Bone mineral density was determined by a Lunar Prodigy Vision DXA system, and blood samples for plasma tHcy, folate, vitamin B12, and serum parathyroid hormone (PTH) were taken. Comparison between women with osteoporosis, osteopenia and normal BMD showed that the osteoporotic women were significantly older, had lower weight and height than the women of the other groups. Plasma tHcy was significantly higher in the osteoporotic group. Levels of tHcy were inversely related to BMD at the lumbar spine, at the total hip and plasma vitamin B12 and positively related to age and creatinine. Multiple regression analysis showed that age and BMI were the main predictors of BMD at the lumbar spine, whereas the main predictors of BMD at the total hip were age, BMI, plasma tHcy, and plasma vitamin B(12). tHcy and vitamin B12 are independent risk factors for osteoporosis in Moroccan healthy postmenopausal women.

Topics: Absorptiometry, Photon; Age Factors; Aged; Body Mass Index; Bone Density; Bone Diseases, Metabolic; Cross-Sectional Studies; Female; Folic Acid; Homocysteine; Humans; Lumbar Vertebrae; Middle Aged; Morocco; Osteoporosis, Postmenopausal; Parathyroid Hormone; Postmenopause; Retrospective Studies; Risk Factors; Vitamin B 12

Folate, vitamin B2 (riboflavin), and vitamin B12 may affect bone directly or through an effect on plasma homocysteine levels. Previously, a positive association has been found between plasma levels and bone mineral density (BMD) as well as risk of fracture. However, there are limited data on whether dietary intakes affect bone. Our aim was to investigate whether intake of folate, vitamin B2) and vitamin B12, as assessed by food records affects BMD and fracture risk. In a population-based cohort including 1,869 perimenopausal women from the Danish Osteoporosis Prevention Study, associations between intakes and BMD were assessed at baseline and after 5 years of follow-up. Moreover, associations between intakes and 5- and 10-year changes in BMD as well as risk of fracture were studied. Intakes of folate, vitamin B2, and vitamin B12 were 417 (range 290-494) microg/day, 2.70 (range 1.70-3.16) mg/day, and 4.98 (range 3.83-6.62) microg/day, respectively, i.e., slightly above the intakes recommended by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization. At year 5, but not at baseline, cross-sectional analyses showed positive correlations between daily intake from diet and from diet plus supplements of folate and BMD at the femoral neck (P < 0.01). However, no associations were found between intakes and changes in BMD. During 10 years of follow-up, 360 subjects sustained a fracture. Compared with 1,440 controls, logistic regression analyses revealed no difference in intakes between cases and controls. A high dietary intake of folate, but not vitamin B2 or B12, exerts positive effects on BMD; but further studies are needed to confirm this association.

Topics: Adult; Bone and Bones; Bone Density; Case-Control Studies; Cohort Studies; Cross-Sectional Studies; Denmark; Dietary Supplements; Female; Femur Neck; Folic Acid; Follow-Up Studies; Food, Formulated; Fractures, Bone; Humans; Lumbar Vertebrae; Middle Aged; Nutritional Requirements; Osteoporosis, Postmenopausal; Prospective Studies; Radiography; Riboflavin; Time; Time Factors; Vitamin B 12

We studied the association between plasma total homocysteine (tHcy), its determinants folate, vitamin B(12), vitamin B(6) and MTHFR genotype, and bone mineral density (BMD) in 328 postmenopausal British women. When the subjects were assigned to one of 3 groups (control, osteopenic or osteoporotic) according to their BMD at the os calcis, those in the osteoporotic group had, compared with the controls, a significantly lower serum folate concentration, a significantly higher % of current smokers and a significantly higher incidence of recent fracture. In the population as a whole, we found significant associations of BMD with tHcy (r=-0.130, p=0.033, log tHcy) and folate (r=0.132, p=0.025, log folate). The association of folate with BMD was maintained after correction for age, weight and height (r=0.124, p=0.042, log folate), but the association of tHcy with BMD weakened after correction for age, weight, height and creatinine (r=-0.117, p=0.059, log tHcy). Vitamins B(12) and B(6) were not associated with BMD, but were significantly associated with tHcy, vitamin B(12) (r=-0.34, p<0.0001), vitamin B(6) (r=-0.16, p=0.007), as was folate (r=-0.41, p<0.0001). There was an increasing frequency of the MTHFR TT genotype across the 3 BMD groups, but this did not attain significance. Individuals with the TT genotype had significantly higher plasma tHcy but there was no difference between the genotypes (CC, CT, TT) for folate or BMD. Smoking was associated with a highly significant reduction in BMD and lower weight, and a significant reduction in circulating folate and vitamin B(6) concentrations, but no change in tHcy or vitamin B(12) concentrations when compared with non-smokers. We conclude that low serum folate is a significant risk factor for osteoporosis, with plasma tHcy having a lesser effect. Both vitamins B(12) and B(6), by acting through tHcy, may also have an effect on the skeleton, albeit a weaker one than folate. Cigarette smoking is a strong determinant of BMD, and may act through effects on folate and vitamin B(6).

Topics: Aged; Alcohol Drinking; Bone Density; Female; Genetic Predisposition to Disease; Genotype; Homocysteine; Humans; Methylenetetrahydrofolate Reductase (NADPH2); Osteoporosis, Postmenopausal; Polymorphism, Genetic; Postmenopause; Smoking; Vitamin B 12; Vitamin B 6; White People

Recent studies have suggested that hyperhomocysteinemia and low plasma folate are associated with fracture and also bone mineral density (BMD) and that they may contribute to the pathogenicity of osteoporosis in postmenopausal women. However, as plasma total homocysteine (tHcy) and plasma folate can be regarded as short-term markers when compared to a long-term variable such as BMD, in this study we tested the hypothesis that low red blood cell 5-methyltetrahydrofolate (RBC 5-MTHFR) as a long-term marker of the folate status may be a better predictor of BMD than plasma 5-MTHF, and its deficiency may contribute to the pathogenicity of osteoporosis in postmenopausal Iranian women. The BMD at the femoral neck and lumbar spine (measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry, DXA) together with anthropometric and biochemical components of the homocysteine re-methylation pathway including plasma tHcy, 5-MTHF and vitamin B12, RBC 5-MTHF and creatinine were determined in 366 postmenopausal women. RBC 5-MTHF was more highly correlated with BMD at the lumbar spine (r=0.21, P=0.001) and femoral neck (r=0.19, P=0.004) than was plasma 5-MTHF (lumbar spine; r=0.14, P=0.03 and femoral neck; r=0.17, P=0.006). Stepwise multiple linear regression analyses revealed that RBC 5-MTHF was one of the predictors of BMD explaining 4.3 and 4.0% variance of BMD at the lumbar spine and femoral neck, respectively, whereas plasma 5-MTHF was excluded in the model and not determined to be a predictor of BMD at both the lumbar spine and femoral neck when adjusted for age, BMI, years since menopause and RBC 5-MTHF. This study suggests that RBC 5-MTHF is a better predictor of BMD than plasma 5-MTHFR when compared to a long-term marker such as BMD, and its deficiency is associated with low BMD that may contribute to the pathogenicity of osteoporosis in postmenopausal women.

Topics: Absorptiometry, Photon; Biomarkers; Body Mass Index; Bone Density; Erythrocytes; Female; Femur Neck; Homocysteine; Humans; Lumbar Vertebrae; Middle Aged; Osteoporosis, Postmenopausal; Population Surveillance; Tetrahydrofolates; Vitamin B 12

The purpose of this study was to test whether low serum vitamin B-12 levels are associated with more rapid bone loss in elderly women. We archived sera and measured calcaneal bone mineral density (BMD) in community-dwelling white women, aged 65 yr and over, who participated in the Study of Osteoporotic Fractures. BMD of the hip and subregions was measured 2 yr later. Repeat measurements of calcaneal and hip BMD were obtained after 5.9 and 3.5 yr of follow-up, respectively. Serum vitamin B-12 assays were performed in 83 randomly selected participants with initial and repeat measurements of BMD who were not taking estrogen replacement therapy at baseline. After adjusting for age, weight, and clinic site, women with vitamin B-12 levels at or below 280 pg/ml (207.2 pmol/liter; lowest quintile) experienced an annual change of -1.6% (95% confidence interval, -2.4% to -0.8%) in total hip BMD, compared with -0.2% (-0.5% to 0.2%) in women with levels above 280 pg/ml (P = 0.003). Results were similar when subregions of the hip were analyzed separately. Serum vitamin B-12 levels were not significantly associated with calcaneal bone loss. We conclude that low serum vitamin B-12 levels are associated with increased rates of hip, but not calcaneal, bone loss in older women.

Topics: Aged; Bone Density; Calcaneus; Female; Femur Neck; Follow-Up Studies; Humans; Linear Models; Osteoporosis, Postmenopausal; Prospective Studies; Vitamin B 12

Topics: Aged; Bone Density; Female; Folic Acid Deficiency; Humans; Osteoporosis, Postmenopausal; Vitamin B 12

Genetic hyperhomocysteinemia is associated with skeletal abnormalities and osteoporosis. We tested whether levels of homocysteine and critical co-enzymes of homocysteine metabolism, such as vitamin B12 and folate, are related to lumbar spine bone mineral density (BMD) measured by DEXA in 161 postmenopausal women. Folate but not homocysteine or vitamin B12, was lower in osteoporotic than normal women (7.2 +/- 0.9 ng/L vs 11.4 +/- 0.7 ng/L, P < 0.003). Folate, but not homocysteine or vitamin B12, was independently related to BMD (r = 0.254, P < 0.011). BMD progressively increased from the lowest to the highest folate quartile (1.025 +/- 0.03 g/cm2 vs 1.15 +/- 0.03 g/cm2, P < 0.01) even when covaried for weight, which was the only other variable related to BMD. The present data suggest a major association between folate and bone mineralization.

Topics: Absorptiometry, Photon; Bone Density; Bone Diseases, Metabolic; Feeding Behavior; Female; Folic Acid; Homocysteine; Humans; Linear Models; Lumbar Vertebrae; Middle Aged; Osteoporosis, Postmenopausal; Patient Selection; Postmenopause; Risk Factors; Vitamin B 12