Ann Bjørnshave at all
Abstract
Aims
Whey protein may improve bone turnover and have anti‐osteoporotic effects. The aim of the present randomised, controlled, crossover trial was to evaluate the effects of a whey protein pre‐meal on bone turnover in people with type 2 diabetes and controls.
Methods
Two groups, matched on sex, age and body mass index, comprising 12 participants with and 12 participants without type 2 diabetes were randomly given a pre‐meal of whey protein (20 g) or water, which was consumed 15 min before a fat‐rich meal or a fat‐rich meal supplemented with 20 g whey protein. During a 360‐min period, postprandial responses in bone turnover were examined.
Results
Osteocalcin, P‐procollagen type 1 amino terminal propeptide (P1NP), C‐terminal cross‐linked telopeptide of type‐I collagen (CTX) and parathyroid hormone (PTH) were lower at baseline and PTH, osteocalcin and P1NP were lower during the entire postprandial phase in participants with type 2 diabetes than in participants without type 2 diabetes. We observed similar postprandial responses in bone turnover markers between persons with and without type 2 diabetes. We observed no effect of the whey protein or the water pre‐meal on bone turnover markers. The changes were unrelated to secretion of hormones of the gut–bone axis.
Conclusion
Osteocalcin, P1NP, CTX and PTH all decreased following meal ingestion. We observed no convincing effect of a whey protein pre‐meal on bone turnover. However, these results confirm that people with type 2 diabetes have low bone turnover and that the decreased bone formation markers are also extend into the postprandial responses.