Femur bone mineral and strength is positively correlated with n‐3 polyunsaturated fatty acids in developing fat‐1 mice

Abstract

Evidence suggests that n‐3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) are beneficial for maintenance of bone health and possibly bone development. This study used the fat‐1 mouse, a transgenic model that synthesizes n‐3 PUFA from n‐6 PUFA to directly determine if outcomes of bone health were correlated with n‐3 PUFA in femurs. Control and fat‐1 mice were fed an AIN93G diet containing 10% safflower oil from weaning through 12 weeks of age. Femur bone mineral content (BMC) and density (BMD) were determined by dual energy x‐ray absorptiometry and biomechanical strength properties, surrogate measures of fracture risk, were measured by a materials testing system. Femur fatty acid composition was measured by gas chromatography. At 12 weeks of age, femur n‐3 PUFA was higher among fat‐1 compared to control mice. The n‐6:n‐3 ratio in the femur was negatively correlated with BMD (r=−0.58, p=0.01), BMC (r=−0.57, p=0.01), and peak load at femur midpoint (r=−0.53, p=0.02) and femur neck (r=−0.52, p=0.02). Moreover, long chain n‐3 PUFA, eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), were positively correlated (p<0.05) with all four femur parameters, with the exception of DHA and peak load at femur neck (p=0.07). In conclusion, n‐3 PUFA favourably modulate accumulation of mineral and functional measures of bone in developing fat‐1 mice, suggesting benefits of dietary n‐3 PUFA for bone health in children.