[Fundamental study on effect of high-mineral drinking water for osteogenesis in calciprivia ovariectomized rats]

Drinking Natural Mineral Water Maintains Bone Health in Young Rats With Metabolic Acidosis

Introduction

Metabolic acidosis affects bone health. It remains unclear whether drinking natural mineral water is better for maintaining bone health in the youth with metabolic acidosis.

Materials and Methods

Sixty young female rats (3-weeks-old) were randomly divided into three groups and drank purified water (PW, as control), bicarbonate-rich natural mineral water (Bic-NMW), or sulfate-rich natural mineral water (Sul-NMW), which, respectively, contained calcium (0.17, 155, and 175 mg/L), bicarbonate (0.1360, and 139 mg/L) and sulfate (0, 35.6, and 532 mg/L), for 16 weeks. In the last 3 weeks, metabolic acidosis was induced in 10 rats per group by adding NH₄Cl (0.28 mM) to drinking water. The rats' blood, urine, and femur were collected for assessing acid-base status, calcium metabolism, bone microstructure, and strength. The difference between the three groups was determined using one-way ANOVA followed by the Student–Newman–Keuls test or Dunnett's T3 test.

Results

Compared with the PW rats, the Bic-NMW rats and the Sul-NMW rats had less urine net acid excretion (−1.51, 0.20 vs. 10.77, EQ/L), higher bone mineral density (442.50, 407.49 vs. 373.28, mg/mm³), growth cartilage width (271.83, 283.83 vs. 233.27, μm) and cortical trabecular area (9.33, 9.55 vs. 5.05, mm²), and smaller cortical marrow cavity area (5.40, 5.49 vs. 7.27, mm²) in the femur (P < 0.05). Besides, the Bic-NMW rats had less serum calcium (2.53 vs. 2.68, mmol/L) and C-terminal cross-linked telopeptide of type-I collagen (1.35 vs. 1.93, ng/mL), and higher serum calcitonin (0.61 vs. 0.39, μg/L), femoral trabecular thickness (0.10 vs. 0.09, μm), bone volume/total volume (0.42 vs. 0.34, %), cortical bone area (15.91 vs. 12.80, mm²), and ultimate stress (35.12 vs. 29.32, MPa) (P < 0.05). The Sul-NMW rats had more osteoclasts (22.50 vs. 11.54, cells/field) (P < 0.05).

Conclusions

Drinking natural mineral water, especially bicarbonate-rich natural mineral water, is effective in improving bone health in young rats with metabolic acidosis. These benefits include maintaining bone mineral density, and improving bone microstructure and biomechanical properties via moderating metabolic acidosis.

Natural factors as prophylactics of major dental diseases in children

Introduction. In Ukraine, the prevalence of dental caries in children 12 years old reaches 72.7% -91.4%, in children 15 years old - 81.3% -94.3%, while the intensity of caries in children of these age groups ranges from 2, 23 ± 0.21 to 3.71 ± 0.37 and from 3.91 ± 0.39 to 6.18 ± 1.01, respectively. For the physiological formation of dental hard tissues in children, a sufficient level of calcium intake and assimilation with the participation of vitamin D is of great importance. Children for many reasons need to correct calcium metabolic disorders by using combined calcium and vitamin D preparations and a balanced diet, including foods and drinks, enriched with calcium. Materials and methods. Clinical studies were conducted involving 138 children 7-11 years old. To assess the extent of tooth decay, caries was determined by its prevalence, intensity, growth rate of caries, reduction of the growth rate of caries, biochemical analysis of oral fluid was performed to determine the content of calcium, phosphorus, acid phosphatase, alkaline phosphatase. Children of the main treatment subgroup were offered the proposed Treatment and Preventive Complex, which included correction of eating behaviour and drinking regimen (consumption of naturally-table low-mineralized waters without gas with Ca2+ content from 50 to 200 mg / l).Results. When using Treatment and Preventive Complex in children, a low increase in the intensity of decay of permanent teeth, an increase in the level of Ca, a decrease in the activity of acid phosphatase and alkaline phosphatase in the oral fluid were determined in comparison with the control group. Conclusions. Thus, the use of mineral water with a Ca2+ content of 50 to 200 mg / l, as a source of natural Ca intake, can be recommended as an aid to the comprehensive prevention of caries in schoolchildren.

Differential Modulation of Cancellous and Cortical Distal Femur by Fructose and Natural Mineral-Rich Water Consumption in Ovariectomized Female Sprague Dawley Rats

Bone mineral density (BMD) and microstructure depend on estrogens and diet. We assessed the impact of natural mineral-rich water ingestion on distal femur of fructose-fed estrogen-deficient female Sprague Dawley rats. Ovariectomized rats drank tap or mineral-rich waters, with or without 10%-fructose, for 10 weeks. A sham-operated group drinking tap water was included (n = 6/group). Cancellous and cortical bone compartments were analyzed by microcomputed tomography. Circulating bone metabolism markers were measured by enzyme immunoassay/enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay or multiplex bead assay. Ovariectomy significantly worsened cancellous but not cortical bone, significantly increased circulating degradation products from C-terminal telopeptides of type I collagen and receptor activator of nuclear factor-kappaB ligand (RANKL), and significantly decreased circulating osteoprotegerin and osteoprotegerin/RANKL ratio. In ovariectomized rats, in cancellous bone, significant water effect was observed for all microstructural properties, except for the degree of anisotropy, and BMD (neither a significant fructose effect nor a significant interaction between water and fructose ingestion effects were observed). In cortical bone, it was observed a significant (a) water effect for medullary volume and cortical endosteal perimeter; (b) fructose effect for cortical thickness, medullary volume, cross-sectional thickness and cortical endosteal and periosteal perimeters; and (c) interaction effect for mean eccentricity. In blood, significant fructose and interaction effects were found for osteoprotegerin (no significant water effect was seen). For the first time in ovariectomized rats, the positive modulation of cortical but not of cancellous bone by fructose ingestion and of both bone locations by natural mineral-rich water ingestion is described.

Effect of Minerals on Intestinal IgA Production Using Deep Sea Water Drinks

Minerals are essential for life, as they are a vital part of protein constituents, enzyme cofactors, and other components in living organisms. Deep sea water is characterized by its cleanliness and stable low temperature, and its possible health- and medical benefits are being studied. However, no study has yet evaluated the physical properties of the numerous commercially available deep sea water products, which have varying water sources and production methods. We analyzed these products' mineral content and investigated their effect on living organism, focusing on immune functions, and investigated the relation between physiological immunoactivities and mineral intake. We qualitatively analyzed the mineral compositions of the deep sea water drinks and evaluated the drinks' physical properties using principal component analysis, a type of multivariate analysis, of their mineral content. We create an iron and copper-deficient rat model and administered deep sea water drinks for 8 weeks. We then measured their fecal immunoglobulin A (IgA) to evaluate immune function. Principal component analysis suggested that physical properties of deep sea water drinks could be determined by their sources. Administration of deep sea water drinks increased fecal IgA, thus tending to stimulate immune function, but the extent of this effect varied by drink. Of the minerals contained in deep sea water, iron showed positive correlations with the fecal IgA. The principal component analysis used in this study is suitable for evaluating deep sea water containing many minerals, and our results form a useful basis for comparative evaluations of deep sea water's bioactivity.