Loss of Bone Mineral Density Associated with Age in Male Rats Fed on Sunflower Oil Is Avoided by Virgin Olive Oil Intake or Coenzyme Q Supplementation

Abstract

The role of dietary fat unsaturation and the supplementation of coenzyme Q have been evaluated in relation to bone health. Male Wistar rats were maintained for 6 or 24 months on two diets varying in the fat source, namely virgin olive oil, rich in monounsaturated fatty acids, or sunflower oil, rich in n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids. Both dietary fats were supplemented or not with coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10). Bone mineral density (BMD) was evaluated in the femur. Serum levels of osteocalcin, osteopontin, receptor activator of nuclear factor κB ligand (RANKL), osteoprotegerin (OPG), adrenocorticotropin (ACTH) and parathyroid hormone (PTH), as well as urinary F2-isoprostanes were measured. Aged animals fed on virgin olive oil showed higher BMD than those fed on sunflower oil. In addition, CoQ10 prevented the age-related decline in BMD in animals fed on sunflower oil. Urinary F2-isoprostanes analysis showed that sunflower oil led to the highest oxidative status in old animals, which was avoided by supplementation with CoQ10. In conclusion, lifelong feeding on virgin olive oil or the supplementation of sunflower oil on CoQ10 prevented, at least in part mediated by a low oxidative stress status, the age-related decrease in BMD found in sunflower oil fed animals.

Effects of Virgin Olive Oils Differing in Their Bioactive Compound Contents on Biomarkers of Oxidative Stress and Inflammation in Healthy Adults: A Randomized Double-Blind Controlled Trial

“…In fact, the negative correlation found between oleic and urinary 15-F2t-isoprostane may suggest that a longer intervention would be able to exert a positive effect on reducing urinary 15-F2t-isoprostane concentrations. This is in agreement with other published preclinical [50] and clinical [51] studies.…”

The Paradox of Coenzyme Q10 in Aging

“…These effects were observed when sunflower oil was administered in a proportion of 8% w / w in the diet, which is the double of current recommendations for rodents [172]. This is in concordance with other findings in different tissues and organs of old and young rats fed on similar diets [173,174,175,176,177,178,179,180,181,182,183,184]. Alternatively, it has been suggested that CoQ 10 supplementation does not truly extend life span, but that it could prevent life span shortening due to oxidative insults [161], as has been suggested by its effect in all aspects related to mitochondrial function, oxidative stress and antioxidant defenses both in animals and humans (Figure 2b).…”

“…On the other hand, the different oils used could modulate CoQ 10 absorption since fatty acids significantly help in the absorption of CoQ 10 via bile acid production [185,186]. In animals fed on similar CoQ-supplemented diets, plasma CoQ 10 concentration values were 39.24 ± 9.25 and 50.71 ± 5.22 μM when they received a diet based on virgin olive oil and sunflower oil, respectively [174]. Another study reported even lower values in those animals fed on a fish oil-based diet [182].…”

“…On the other hand, Sohal et al [157] did not find effects on the activity of different antioxidant enzymes in the liver, heart, kidney, skeletal muscle, and brain of mice. In male Wistar rats, long-term supplementation with low doses of CoQ 10 has been shown to attenuate age-related alveolar bone loss [173,212], prevent age-related decline in BMD [174] and reduce histological alterations in endocrine pancreas, which mainly affected β-cell mass and insulin levels in aged animals [175]. In parallel, an aging-associated increase in urinary F2-isoprostanes was prevented by the addition of CoQ 10 , which suggests that CoQ benefits could be a consequence of a reduction in oxidative stress [174].…”

“…In male Wistar rats, long-term supplementation with low doses of CoQ 10 has been shown to attenuate age-related alveolar bone loss [173,212], prevent age-related decline in BMD [174] and reduce histological alterations in endocrine pancreas, which mainly affected β-cell mass and insulin levels in aged animals [175]. In parallel, an aging-associated increase in urinary F2-isoprostanes was prevented by the addition of CoQ 10 , which suggests that CoQ benefits could be a consequence of a reduction in oxidative stress [174]. In gums, an age-related increase in the expression of genes involved in mitochondrial biogenesis and antioxidantdefense has also been found [173].…”