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Review
. 2017 Dec;15(6):555-563.
doi: 10.1007/s11914-017-0406-8.

Diet and Exercise: a Match Made in Bone

Hubertine M E Willems  1 , Ellen G H M van den Heuvel  2 , Ruud J W Schoemaker  2 , Jenneke Klein-Nulend  3 , Astrid D Bakker  4
Affiliations
Review

Diet and Exercise: a Match Made in Bone

Hubertine M E Willems et al. Curr Osteoporos Rep. 2017 Dec.

Abstract

Purpose of review: Multiple dietary components have the potential to positively affect bone mineral density in early life and reduce loss of bone mass with aging. In addition, regular weight-bearing physical activity has a strong positive effect on bone through activation of osteocyte signaling. We will explore possible synergistic effects of dietary components and mechanical stimuli for bone health by identifying dietary components that have the potential to alter the response of osteocytes to mechanical loading.

Recent findings: Several (sub)cellular aspects of osteocytes determine their signaling towards osteoblasts and osteoclasts in response to mechanical stimuli, such as the osteocyte cytoskeleton, estrogen receptor α, the vitamin D receptor, and the architecture of the lacunocanalicular system. Potential modulators of these features include 1,25-dihydroxy vitamin D3, several forms of vitamin K, and the phytoestrogen genistein. Multiple dietary components potentially affect osteocyte function and therefore may have a synergistic effect on bone health when combined with a regime of physical activity.

Keywords: Bone health; Diet; Dietary components; Nutrition; Osteocytes; Physical activity.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflict of Interest

Ellen GHM van den Heuvel and Ruud JW Schoemaker are employees of FrieslandCampina, a dairy company.

Astrid Bakker, Jenneke Klein-Nulend, and Hubertine Willems declare no conflict of interest.

Human and Animal Rights and Informed Consent

This article does not contain any studies with human or animal subjects performed by any of the authors.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Mechanotransduction. Physical mechanical loads elicit a biological response through the process of mechanotransduction. For bone, this process can be broken down in the following steps: (1) Transmission of the bulk mechanical stimulus to the osteocyte, (2) Sensing of the mechanical stimulus by osteocytes and transduction into a chemical response, (3) Modulation of intracellular signaling, (4) Production of signaling molecules. The last step leads to an altered osteoclast and osteoblast recruitment and activity, and an alteration in bone mass and structure. Changes on each of these levels of mechanotransduction, for example, by affecting the cellular structures described in the figure, will potentially affect the efficacy of mechanical stimuli for modulating bone mass and structure, and thereby the ability of bone to withstand fracture. Governing all steps of the process of mechanotransduction is the genetic make-up of the osteocytes
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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