Biomedical Science Letters (대한의생명과학회지)

The Korean Society for Biomedical Laboratory Sciences (대한의생명과학회)
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An Effect of Dietary Chlorella on Bone Mineral Density in Postmenopausal Women

  • Yong-Ho Kim (Department of Biomedical Laboratory Science, Inje University) ;
  • Yoo-Kyeong Hwang (Department of Biomedical Laboratory Science, Inje University) ;
  • Su-Mi Ko (Department of Biomedical Laboratory Science, Inje University) ;
  • Jung-Min Hwang (Department of Biomedical Laboratory Science, Inje University) ;
  • Yong-Woo Lee (Department of Biomedical Laboratory Science, Inje University) ;
  • Hee-Kyung Seong (Department of Clinical Pathology, Sangge Paik Hospital) ;
  • Dong-Uk Kim (Department of Inernal Medicine, Pusan Paik Hospital, Inje University)
  • Published : 2002.12.01
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Abstract

Age-related osteopenia and osteoporosis are common in postmenopausal women due to decrease in bone mass and ovarian function. A therapy for osteoporosis would depend on only drugs to inhibit bone loss, hormonal replacement therapy, exercise and dietary supplementation and it is very hard to fad an ideal therapy for osteoporosis as yet. Chlorella which is rich in minerals such as calcium magnesium fatty acids, vitamins and sterol, could be applicable for prevention and co-treatment of osteoporosis, but it has yet to be studied. The purpose of this study was to assess the relationship between the effect of dietary chlorella on bone mineral density (BMD) and nutritional improvement. BMD was measured in the femural neck and lumber spine portion. Nutritional and bone turnover markers from blood samples were assessed serum lkaline phosphatase, hemoglobin, number of erythrocytes and total protein. Studies for the femur neck measurement showed that normal BMD increased 2.1% for the group fed chlorella supplemented diet for four month and increased 6.6% fur group treated for one year when compared to the control group, and for the lumber spine measurements the few month group showed an increase of 9.1% over the control group, the one year group showed an increase of 64.2% over the control group. Hemoglobin content, number of erythrocytes and total protein showed similar increased patterns with BMD measurement, meanwhile, serum alkaline phosphatase increased 3% for the four month group and decrease 16% for the one year group compare to the control group. In conclusion, the postmenopausal women fed chlorella supplemented diet results in an increase in BMD. This is a marked increment in lumber spine, enhancement of nutritional state and stable bone turnover. This data showed a positive relationship between BMD and nutritional change with chlorella treatment, and suggested that chlorella dietary may lead to improving and preventing rapid loss of BMD in postmenopausal women.

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