High-refined carbohydrate diet promotes detrimental effects on alveolar bone and femur microarchitecture

The impact of high-refined carbohydrate (HC) diet on fat accumulation, adipokines secretion and systemic inflammation is well described. However, it remains unclear whether these processes affect bone remodeling.

To investigate the effects of HC diet in the alveolar bone and femur parameters.

BalbC mice were fed with conventional chow or HC diet for 12 weeks. After experimental time maxillae, femur, blood and white adipose tissue samples were collected.

The animals feed with HC diet exhibited considerable increase of adiposity index and adipose tissue levels of TNF-α, IL-6, IL-10, IL-1β, TGF-β and leptin. Microtomography analysis of maxillary bone revealed horizontal alveolar bone loss and disruption of trabecular bone in mice feed with HC diet. These deleterious effects were correlated with a disturbance in bone cells and an augmented expression of Rankl/Opg ratio. Consistently, similar effects were observed in femurs, which also exhibited a reduction in bone maximum load and stiffness.

Our data indicates that HC diet consumption disrupts bone remodeling process, favoring bone loss. Underlying mechanisms relies on fat tissue accumulation and also in systemic and local inflammation.