DIETARY FRUCTOOLIGOSACCHARIDES PREVENT OSTEOPENIA AFTER GASTRECTOMY IN RATS

Postgastrectomy osteopenia is observed generally in humans. Fructoolig osaccharides increase the absorption of calcium from the large intesti ne of healthy rats. Thus, we have examined whether they stimulate calc ium absorption and prevent osteopenia in rats following total gastrect omy. Rats were subjected to either a sham surgical operation or Billot h II gastrectomy. Seven rats from each surgical treatment group were f ed a control diet, and another seven rats of each treatment group were fed a diet containing fructooligosaccharides (75 g/kg diet) for 4 wk. For 5 d each week, feces were collected, and the calcium and phosphor us contents were measured For calculation of the absorption of these m inerals. At the end of the experiment, the rats were killed and bones were collected. The net calcium absorption, calcium content and bone m ineral density of the femur and tibia in gastrectomized rats fed the c ontrol diet were significantly less than those in sham-operated rats f ed,control diet. The net calcium absorption in rats fed the fructoolig osaccharides diet was greater than that in rats fed control diet. More over, dietary fructooligosaccharides prevented the decrease in the cal cium content and bone mineral density in gastrectomized rats. Dietary fructooligosaccharides enhanced calcium absorption and prevented the c hanges indicative of postgastrectomy osteopenia such as decreases in b one calcium content and bone mineral density in gastrectomized rats.