Expolring how sex difference impacts bone response to high salt diet in adult albino rats

Abstract

Background and aim: High salt intake is related to great risk for developing many diseases such as hypertension, cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), metabolic syndrome and osteoporosis. This work aimed to assess the effects of the high salt diet (HSD) on adult albino rats' bone and exploring the sex disparity of this effect. Materials and methods: Forty eight adult albino rats, 24 males and 24 females, were divided into four groups: control males, control females, HSD-fed males, and HSD-fed females. Results: The results showed that administration of HSD (8 %) for seven weeks to both male and female rats resulted in increased food intake, decreased body weight gain and BMI, as well as osteoporosis. Osteoporosis was evidenced by increased parathormone hormone and the bone turnover markers; alkaline phosphatase, acid phosphatase, and osteopontin levels. Decreased bone weight, dry weight, fat-free dry weight, ash weight, organic matrix weight, and percentage of non-organic matrix weight were detected. Osteoporosis was more severe in female rats than male rats. Conclusion: Accordingly, the results obtained from the present study revealed that the severity of HSD-induced osteoporosis is sex-dependent. The decreased severity of osteoporosis in males may be attributed to high body weight and muscle bulk, inhibition of parathormone secretion, and other different mechanisms of protection exerted by testosterone hormone.