Effect of .BETA.-Crytoxanthin on Circulating Bone Metabolic Markers: Intake of Juice (Citrus Unshiu) Supplemented with .BETA.-Cryptoxanthin Has an Effect in Menopausal Women

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The effects of prolonged intake of juice prepared from Satsuma mandarin (Citrus unshiu MARC.) containing β-cryptoxanthin on circulating biochemical markers of bone metabolism in subjects, including menopausal woman, were investigated. Ninety volunteers, aged 27-65 years (19 men and 71 women), were enrolled in this study. The 71 females included 35 premenopausal women (ages, 27-50 years) and 36 postmenopausal women (ages, 46-65 years). Volunteers were divided into four groups; placebo juice without β-cyptoxanthin (5 men and 19 women), juice containing β-cyptoxanthin at 1.5 mg/200 ml of juice/day (4 men and 17 women), 3.0 mg/day (5 men and 17 women), and 6.0 mg/day (5 men and 18 women). Placebo or juice (200 ml) was ingested once a day for 28 or 56 days. Serum β-cryptoxanthin concentrations were significantly increased after the intake of juice containing β-cryptoxanthin (1.5, 3.0, or 6.0 mg/day) for 28 or 56 days, and the increases were dose-dependent. Bone-specific alkaline phosphatase and γ-carboxylated osteocalcin are serum bone markers of bone formation, and bone tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRACP) and N-telopeptides of type I collagen are markers of bone resorption. Bone-specific alkaline phosphatase activity was significantly increased after the intake of juice containing β-cryptoxanthin (3.0 or 6.0 mg/day) for 56 days as compared with the value obtained before intake. γ-Carboxylated osteocalcin concentration was significantly increased after the intake of juice containing β-cryptoxanthin (3.0 or 6.0 mg/day) for 28 or 56 days as compared with the value obtained before intake or after the intake of placebo juice. Serum TRACP activity and type I collagen N-telopeptide concentration were significantly decreased after the intake of juice containing β-cryptoxanthin (3.0 or 6.0 mg/day) for 28 or 56 days as compared with the value obtained before intake or after intake of placebo juice, and significant decreases were also seen after the intake of 1.5 mg/day β-cryptoxanthin as compared with the value obtained before intake. In menopausal women, bone-specific alkaline phosphatase activity and γ-carboxylated osteocalcin concentration were significantly increased after the intake of juice containing β-cryptoxanthin (3.0 or 6.0 mg/day) for 56 days as compared with the value obtained after placebo intake. Also, this intake caused a significant decrease in bone TRACP activity. Meanwhile, serum calcium, inorganic phosphorous, and parathyroid hormone (intact) were not changed after the intake of β-cryptoxanthin-containing juice for 28 or 56 days. This study demonstrates that the prolonged intake of juice fortified with β-cryptoxanthin has stimulatory effects on bone formation and inhibitory effects on bone resorption in humans, and that the intake has an effect in menopausal women.