The effects of dietary taurine supplementation on bone mineral density in ovariectomized rats.

This study was performed to evaluate the effect of a diet rich in taurine (2.0 g/100 g) on bone metabolism in ovariectomized (OVX) rats. All rats were fed deionized water during the experimental period. Bone mineral density (BMD) and bone mineral content (BMC) of spine and femur were measured. Serum and urinary calcium and phosphorus content were determined. The levels serum osteocalcin and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) were used to assess bone formation. The rate of bone resorption was measured by the deoxypyridinoline (DPD) crosslink immunoassay and corrected for creatinine. Urinary Ca and P excretion, serum osteocalcin content, and the crosslink value were not significantly different between the Sham groups. The taurine supplemented, Sham group had higher spinal and femur BMC than those of the untreated control group, but the difference was not statistically significant. However, the taurine supplemented, Sham group had significantly higher spine and femur BMC per weight than those of the untreated control group. Within the OVX group, the taurine supplemented group had a lower crosslink value than the casein group. The taurine supplemented, OVX group had higher femur bone mineral content per weight than those of the control, OVX group, but the difference was not statistically significant. A study examining the long-term effect of taurine supplementation in humans is warranted.