Effects of Probiotics, Prebiotics, and Synbiotics on Calcium Homeostasis and Bone Health With Aging: A Systematic Review.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Calcium homeostasis and bone health are an increasing concern for middle-aged and older adults. Many studies have explored the positive effects of probiotics, prebiotics, or synbiotics on serum calcium and bone mineral density (BMD) or other parameters related to bone health. However, the participants, the species, doses and duration of interventions, outcomes, and measurements varied among these studies. AIMS: To systematically evaluate the effect of probiotics, prebiotics, or synbiotics on maintaining calcium homeostasis and improving bone health in middle-aged and older adults. METHODS: We identified studies in Cochrane Library, Embase, PubMed, Web of Science, CINAHL, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, and Wanfang and articles in English and Chinese published from inception up to January 10, 2019. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) involving probiotics, prebiotics, or synbiotics for middle-aged or older adults were employed for meta-analysis by using RevMan 5.3, and heterogeneity and risk of bias assessment were performed. RESULTS: A total of eight studies, involving 564 participants, were included. Probiotics, prebiotics, or synbiotics supplementation was able to significantly elevate serum calcium levels (0.52 mg/dl, 95% CI [0.38, 0.66]), heterogeneity p = .13, I2  = 44%), while the results of meta-analysis failed to support the effects of this supplementation on the parameters related to bone health in middle-aged and older adults, including BMD, parathyroid hormone, osteocalcin, and alkaline phosphatase. LINKING EVIDENCE TO ACTION Probiotics, prebiotics, or synbiotics supplementation exerts a facilitating influence on the level of serum calcium, while the present study has not yet supported the beneficial effects of such interventions on bone health. Therefore, further studies with high-quality RCTs are required to determine the effects of probiotics, prebiotics, or synbiotics supplementation on middle-aged and older adults.