Ingestion of gelatin has differential effect on bone mineral density and body weight in protein undernutrition

Malnutrition, particularly protein undernutrition, contributes to the occur rence of osteoporotic fracture by lowering bone mass. In this study, the ef fects of dietary protein on bone mineral density and body weight in protein undernutrition were compared between gelatin and milk. casein. When mice w ere fed for 10 wk with a low protein diet containing 10% casein or 6% casei n + 4% gelatin, there was no significant difference in the final body weigh t between the 6% casein + 4% gelatin group and the 10% casein group. In con trast, bone mineral content and bone mineral density of the femur were sign ificantly higher in the 6% casein + 4% gelatin group than in the 10% casein group. Bone mineral content and bone mineral density did not differ signif icantly in 14% protein groups between 14% casein and 6% casein + 8% gelatin . These results suggest that gelatin has differential effects on bone miner al density and body weight in protein undernutrition.