The Beneficial Effect of Egg Shell Powder, Vitamin D, and Lycopene Supplementation on Bone Density

by | Jun 12, 2024 | 2024, Bone Health, Lycopene, Recent Articles, Vitamin D - Bone Health, Women's Health - Bone Health

Written by Harold Oster, MD. Results suggest that dietary supplementation with eggshell powder, vitamin D, and lycopene decreases bone loss in postmenopausal women.

bone healthOsteoporosis is a common disease of the skeleton, characterized by a decrease in bone mass. Osteoporosis increases bone fragility and predisposes to fractures, with the highest risk being in postmenopausal women1. Inadequate calcium and vitamin D intake is a risk factor for osteoporosis2. Carotenoids, a group of pigments found in fruits and vegetables, have antioxidant properties and several health benefits3. The carotenoid lycopene, abundant in tomatoes and other red fruits and vegetables, may slow bone loss in postmenopausal women4.

Nam-Seok Joo et al. studied the effect of dietary supplementation with vitamin D, eggshell powder, and lycopene on bone density. Twenty-eight post-menopausal women between fifty and sixty-four years old were randomized into two groups. Those in the study group received three food preparations and were instructed to consume each once a week for six months. The meals—black bean paste, sweet pumpkin porridge, and curry—were supplemented with eggshell powder and vitamin D. The curry preparation was additionally supplemented with tomatoes. The control group received the same meal replacements without eggshell powder, vitamin D, or tomatoes. The study diet contained an average daily dose of 261 mg of calcium, 10.3 µg (412 IU) of vitamin D, and 0.944 mg of lutein. The control diet contained a daily dose of 129.2 mg of calcium, zero vitamin D, and zero lycopene. The diets contained similar amounts of the carotenoids lutein and β-carotene. The participants were invited to continue the study for an additional six months, consuming the same meal replacements. The participants were evaluated every three months for body mass index and blood pressure. Blood was tested for lipids, hemoglobin A1C, lutein, lycopene, vitamin D, parathyroid hormone, and markers of bone turnover5. Bone mineral density was assessed by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry6.

The authors noted the following:

  • Based on inclusion criteria, twenty-five participants completed six months of the study, and eleven completed an additional six months.
  • The two groups were similar at baseline, except the study group had a higher average total cholesterol level.
  • Levels of lutein increased in both groups compared to baseline, while lycopene only increased in the study group, suggesting adherence to the dietary supplements.
  • After six months, the decrease in bone mineral density at the hip was smaller in the treatment group than in the control group. (0.004 g/cm2 vs 0.023 g/cm2)
  • After six months, there was no significant difference between the groups in bone turnover markers or other tests.
  • After twelve months, the eleven remaining participants showed no significant differences between the two groups.

Results suggest that supplementation with eggshell powder, vitamin D, and lycopene reduces bone mineral density loss in postmenopausal women. A limitation of the study is its small sample size.

Source: Joo, Nam-Seok, So-Hui Shin, Kyu-Nam Kim, Seok-Hoon Lee, Susie Jung, and Kyung-Jin Yeum. “Home Meal Replacement Fortified with Eggshell Powder and Vitamin D Prevents Bone Loss in Postmenopausal Women: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Controlled Study.” Nutrients 16, no. 8 (2024): 1152.

© 2024 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/
4.0/).

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Posted June 11, 2024.

Harold Oster, MD graduated from medical school in Miami, Florida in 1992 and moved to Minnesota in 2004. After more than 25 years of practicing Internal Medicine, he recently retired. Dr. Oster is especially interested in nutrition, weight management, and disease prevention. Visit his website at haroldoster.com.

References:

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