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Low-carbohydrate, high-fat diets have sex-specific effects on bone health in rats

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Abstract

Purpose

Studies in humans suggest that consumption of low-carbohydrate, high-fat diets (LC–HF) could be detrimental for growth and bone health. In young male rats, LC–HF diets negatively affect bone health by impairing the growth hormone/insulin-like growth factor axis (GH/IGF axis), while the effects in female rats remain unknown. Therefore, we investigated whether sex-specific effects of LC–HF diets on bone health exist.

Methods

Twelve-week-old male and female Wistar rats were isoenergetically pair-fed either a control diet (CD), “Atkins-style” protein-matched diet (LC–HF-1), or ketogenic low-protein diet (LC–HF-2) for 4 weeks. In females, microcomputed tomography and histomorphometry analyses were performed on the distal femur. Sex hormones were analysed with liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry, and endocrine parameters including GH and IGF-I were measured by immunoassay.

Results

Trabecular bone volume, serum IGF-I and the bone formation marker P1NP were lower in male rats fed both LC–HF diets versus CD. LC–HF diets did not impair bone health in female rats, with no change in trabecular or cortical bone volume nor in serum markers of bone turnover between CD versus both LC–HF diet groups. Pituitary GH secretion was lower in female rats fed LC–HF diet, with no difference in circulating IGF-I. Circulating sex hormone concentrations remained unchanged in male and female rats fed LC–HF diets.

Conclusion

A 4-week consumption of LC–HF diets has sex-specific effects on bone health—with no effects in adult female rats yet negative effects in adult male rats. This response seems to be driven by a sex-specific effect of LC–HF diets on the GH/IGF system.

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Acknowledgments

We thank Sarina Benedix and Amon Horngacher (Medizinische Klinik und Poliklinik IV, Munich, Germany) for excellent technical assistance. A. Z was partly funded by a grant from the DAAD (Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst). This study was partly supported by a grant from the Else Kröner-Fresenius-Stiftung (Grant to MaBid, No. 2014_A108). A. Z., M. B. and M. B. designed research; A. Z., B. K., Y. C., M. B., R. S., E. S., N. H., F. F., M. M. and S. M. conducted research; A. Z. and M. B. analysed data; A. Z., M. B. and M. B. wrote the paper; M. B. had primary responsibility for final content. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

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Author notes

  1. Maximilian Bielohuby

    Present address: R&D Diabetes Division/Insulin Biology, Sanofi-Aventis Deutschland GmbH, Industriepark Hoechst, Bldg. H821, 65926, Frankfurt am Main, Germany

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Endocrine Research Unit, Medizinische Klinik und Poliklinik IV, Klinikum der Universität München, Ziemssenstrasse 1, 80336, Munich, Germany

    Ayse Zengin, Riia Junnila, Elahu Sustarsic, Martin Bidlingmaier & Maximilian Bielohuby

  2. Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University Hospital of Munich (LMU), Campus Grosshadern, Marchioninistrasse 15, 81377, Munich, Germany

    Benedikt Kropp & Yan Chevalier

  3. Centre for Clinical Veterinary Medicine, Institute of Veterinary Pathology, LMU, Munich, Germany

    Nadja Herbach

  4. Endocrinology Unit, Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences and Center for Applied Biomedical Research, S.Orsola-Malpighi Hospital, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy

    Flaminia Fanelli & Marco Mezzullo

  5. Anatomische Anstalt, Lehrstuhl II, LMU, Munich, Germany

    Stefan Milz

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  1. Ayse Zengin
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Correspondence to Maximilian Bielohuby.

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Ayse Zengin and Benedikt Kropp have contributed equally to this work.

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Zengin, A., Kropp, B., Chevalier, Y. et al. Low-carbohydrate, high-fat diets have sex-specific effects on bone health in rats. Eur J Nutr 55, 2307–2320 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00394-015-1040-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00394-015-1040-9

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