Diabetes and Physical Activity

Diabetes has been on the rise globally. Although many factors contribute to the increasing risk and manifestation of this disease lack and decreased physical activity/ exercise stands out as one of the major factors. Treatment interventions for prediabetic and diabetic patients include diet and lifestyle changes with enhanced physical activity/ exercise. Several types of physical activity are available for these patients but, recommendations have to be made on an individual basis after giving due consideration to the comorbidities and other risks and barriers. Implementation of progressive resistance therapy may be successful in maintaining glucose homeostasis in diabetic patients

Fish Oil with Higher DHA Content and Voluntary Exercise Decreases Postmenopausal Bone Loss

There is increasing evidence suggesting that fish oil (FO) decreases bone resorption by reducing osteoclastogenesis and regular exercise (EX) increases bone mass. EX is associated with increasing bone formation. Therefore, the combined effects of FO intake and EX may have additive effects by both increasing bone formation and decreasing bone resorption. To demonstrate this, we studied the effects of FO and EX on the bone of mice after an ovariectomyinduced bone loss. Twelve months old C57BL/6 female mice were either sham operated or ovariectomized, divided into different dietary and EX group and maintained for 3 months before sacrifice. The distal femoral metaphysis (DFM) showed significantly higher total BMC in both the FO sham sedentary groups. 30/20 ovariectomized sedentary mice had higher total bone mineral content (BMC). EX significantly increased BMC in the control and one of the FO ovariectomized (18/12) groups. The total bone mineral density (BMD) was higher in both the FO ovariectomized mice. EX significantly increased BMD in the control and combination with 18/12 ovariectomized groups. Cortical BMC increased after EX with both FO diets. The DFM showed no significant changes in the trabecular thickness. However, the trabecular number increased in mice fed both FO diet and on EX. Trabecular separation was decreased in the control and 30/20 FO-fed animals but increased in the 18/12 FO-fed mice. In conclusion, in the distal femoral metaphysis, FO-fed mice showed increased BMD. In combination with EX, the 30/20 FO-fed mice showed higher trabecular number and cortical bone mass as well as decreased trabecular separation

Nutritional Interventions: Diet Modifications, Nutritional Supplements, Complementary and Alternative Medicine

Type 2 diabetes (T2DM) is characterized by increased circulating blood glucose levels. Several therapies are available to control glucose levels. However, nutritional choices play a major role in managing diabetes. Nutritional supplements can help in reducing the side effects of medicines on the individual so, this chapter will not only discuss several nutritional choices but also available nutritional supplements to control T2DM. Keeping in mind the traditional belief that food is medicine and as therapies are often associated with deleterious side effects, this chapter will discuss alternative and herbal medicines. In addition, life style alterations with proper nutritional choices is also important and will be touched upon in this chapter

An Insight into the Role of Vitamins other than Vitamin D on Bone

Vitamins are essential micronutrients for normal development. Great emphasis has been placed on vitamin D for bone development and maintenance. However, other vitamins also influence bone health. While some of them are more beneficial to bone and increase bone mass by increasing bone formation, calcium deposition and stimulate osteoblastogenesis, higher concentrations of others have deleterious effects causing fragile bones and increasing the risk of fractures. Knowledge about the effects of these vitamins will help in better maintenance of bone. This review focuses on the information available on vitamins A,B,C,E and K on bone health. Existing information supports vitamin C and K to play a role in bone formation and calcification. Vitamin E in low amounts and some of the B vitamins may also be beneficial to bone. There is very limited data supporting the favorable effects of vitamin A

Molecular Modulation of Osteoblasts and Osteoclasts in Type 2 Diabetes

Diabetes is a common disease affecting majority of populations worldwide. Since 1980, there has been an increase in the number of people diagnosed as prediabetic and diabetic. Diabetes is characterized by high levels of circulating glucose and leads to most microvascular and macrovascular complications such as retinopathy, nephropathy, neuropathy, stroke, and myocardial infarction. Bone marrow vascular disruption and increased adiposity are also linked to various complications in type II diabetes mellitus. In addition to these complications, type 2 diabetic patients also have fragile bones caused by faulty mineralization mainly due to increased adiposity among diabetic patients that affects both osteoblast and osteoclast functions. Other factors that increase fracture risk in diabetic patients are increased oxidative stress, inflammation, and drugs administered to diabetic patients. This review reports the modulation of different pathways that affect bone metabolism in diabetic conditions

Molecular Modulation of Osteoblasts and Osteoclasts in Type 2 Diabetes

Diabetes is a common disease affecting majority of populations worldwide. Since 1980, there has been an increase in the number of people diagnosed as prediabetic and diabetic. Diabetes is characterized by high levels of circulating glucose and leads to most microvascular and macrovascular complications such as retinopathy, nephropathy, neuropathy, stroke, and myocardial infarction. Bone marrow vascular disruption and increased adiposity are also linked to various complications in type II diabetes mellitus. In addition to these complications, type 2 diabetic patients also have fragile bones caused by faulty mineralization mainly due to increased adiposity among diabetic patients that affects both osteoblast and osteoclast functions. Other factors that increase fracture risk in diabetic patients are increased oxidative stress, inflammation, and drugs administered to diabetic patients. This review reports the modulation of different pathways that affect bone metabolism in diabetic conditions

Effects of conjugated linoleic acid and exercise on bone mass in young male Balb/C mice

There is an increase in obesity among the population of industrialized countries, and dietary supplementation with Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA) has been reported to lower body fat mass. However, weight loss is generally associated with negative effects on bone mass, but CLA is reported to have beneficial effects on bone. Furthermore, another factor that is well established to have a beneficial effect on bone is exercise (EX). However, a combination therapy of CLA and EX on bone health has not been studied. In this paper, we report the beneficial effects of CLA and EX on bone, in four different groups of Balb-C young, male mice. There were 4 groups in our study: 1. Safflower oil (SFO) sedentary (SED); 2. SFO EX; 3. CLA SED; 4. CLA EX. Two months old mice, under their respective treatment regimens were followed for 14 weeks. Mice were scanned in vivo using a DEXA scanner before and after treatment. At the end of the treatment period, the animals were sacrificed, the left tibia was removed and scanned using peripheral quantitative computerized tomography (pQCT). The results showed that although CLA decreased gain in body weight by 35%, it however increased bone mass by both reducing bone resorption and increasing bone formation. EX also decreased gain in body weight by 21% and increased bone mass; but a combination of CLA and EX, however, did not show any further increase in bone mass. In conclusion, CLA increases bone mass in both cancellous and cortical bones, and the effects of CLA on bone is not further improved by EX in pure cortical bone of young male mice

Effects of n-3 fatty acids on autoimmunity and osteoporosis

Decreased consumption of n-3 fatty acids (FA) and diets rich in animal proteins, saturated fats and n-6 vegetable oils are associated with a higher incidence of cardiovascular disease (CVD), certain malignancies and autoimmune disorders such as rheumatoid arthritis and Systemic Lupus Erythromatous (SLE), and renal disease. Recent studies show that reduced calorie intake and supplementation of diet with n-3 FA delays the onset of autoimmune renal disease, primarily, due to increased antioxidant enzyme activities, decreased NF-kappaB activation and decreased IL-1, IL-6 and TNF-alpha mRNA expression in the kidney tissue. Studies in rodents show that addition of n-3 FA and soy protein to diet affords protection against bone loss induced by ovariectomy in mice due to NF-kappaB expression and decreased activation of osteoclasts. Together, the availale evidence show that increased daily intake of dietary n-3 FA decreases the severity of autoimmune disorders, lessens the chance of developing CVD, and protects against bone loss during post-menopause

Effects of conjugated linoleic acid and exercise on bone mass in young male Balb/C mice

There is an increase in obesity among the population of industrialized countries, and dietary supplementation with Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA) has been reported to lower body fat mass. However, weight loss is generally associated with negative effects on bone mass, but CLA is reported to have beneficial effects on bone. Furthermore, another factor that is well established to have a beneficial effect on bone is exercise (EX). However, a combination therapy of CLA and EX on bone health has not been studied. In this paper, we report the beneficial effects of CLA and EX on bone, in four different groups of Balb-C young, male mice. There were 4 groups in our study: 1. Safflower oil (SFO) sedentary (SED); 2. SFO EX; 3. CLA SED; 4. CLA EX. Two months old mice, under their respective treatment regimens were followed for 14 weeks. Mice were scanned in vivo using a DEXA scanner before and after treatment. At the end of the treatment period, the animals were sacrificed, the left tibia was removed and scanned using peripheral quantitative computerized tomography (pQCT). The results showed that although CLA decreased gain in body weight by 35%, it however increased bone mass by both reducing bone resorption and increasing bone formation. EX also decreased gain in body weight by 21% and increased bone mass; but a combination of CLA and EX, however, did not show any further increase in bone mass. In conclusion, CLA increases bone mass in both cancellous and cortical bones, and the effects of CLA on bone is not further improved by EX in pure cortical bone of young male mice

Endogenous n-3 fatty acids protect ovariectomy induced bone loss by attenuating osteoclastogenesis

Beneficial effects of n-3 fatty acids (FA) on bone mineral density (BMD) have been reported in mice, rats and human beings, but the precise mechanisms involved have not been described. This study used the Fat-1 mouse, a transgenic model that synthesizes n-3 FA from n-6 FA to directly determine if outcome of bone health were correlated with n-3 FA. Ovariectomized (Ovx) and sham operated wild-type (WT) and Fat-1 mice were fed an AIN-93M diet containing 10% corn oil for 24 weeks. BMD was analysed by dual energy x-ray absorptiometry. Fat-1 Ovx mice exhibited significantly lower level of osteotropic factors like receptor activator of NF-κB ligand and tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP)5b in serum and higher BMD in distal femoral metaphysis, proximal tibial metaphysis, femoral diaphysis and lumbar vertebra as compared to WT Ovx mice. LPS-stimulated bone marrow (BM) cells from Fat-1 Ovx mice produced significantly lower level of pro-inflammatory cytokines like tumour necrosis factor-α, interleukin (IL)-1-β, IL-6 and higher level of anti-inflammatory cytokines like IL-10, IFN-γ and higher level of nitric oxide as compared to BM cells from WT Ovx mice. LPS-stimulated COX-II activity as well as NF-κB activation in BM cells from Fat-1 Ovx mice was significantly less as compared to BM cells from WT Ovx mice. Furthermore, Fat-1 BM cells generated significantly less number of TRAP osteoclast-like cells as compared to WT BM cells. In conclusion, we offer further insight into the mechanisms involved in preventing the BMD loss in Ovx mice by n-3 FA using a Fat-1 transgenic mouse model