Synbiotic supplementation may attenuate osteoporosis following spinal cord injury in a rat model

CONTEXT: Spinal cord injury (SCI) often leads to severe bone loss and a higher risk of osteoporosis. Current treatments have not fully addressed bone deterioration, which remains a major clinical issue. New research suggests that the gut microbiota may influence bone health, and probiotics might help improve bone status. This study aimed to assess the effect of synbiotic supplementation, which combines probiotics and prebiotics, on bone health in a rat model of SCI-induced osteoporosis. METHODS: Male Wistar rats were randomly divided into three groups: control (sham), SCI, and SCI + synbiotic. Spinal cord injury was surgically induced at the T10 level. The synbiotic group received 1 mL of Lactocare® (containing probiotics and fructooligosaccharides) orally, three times a week for four weeks after the injury. We measured bone mineral density (BMD), bone volume/total volume (BV/TV), alkaline phosphatase (ALP) levels, and bone strength (maximum breaking force). RESULTS: Although ALP activity decreased in the treatment group, the reduction was not statistically significant and levels did not return to those of the control group, synbiotic supplementation led to a significant decrease in bone loss compared to the SCI group (P < 0.05), and bone strength parameters improved significantly in the treatment group. This indicates reduced bone turnover and better bone integrity. CONCLUSION: Synbiotic treatment may reduce osteoporosis following SCI by influencing bone metabolism. These results lay the groundwork for future studies on gut-targeted therapies for bone loss related to SCI.