Gut permeability, inflammation, and bone density across the menopause transition

Area of Science:

• Reproductive Health
• Gastroenterology
• Endocrinology

Background:

• Inflammation is a key factor in age-related diseases.
• Menopause in animal models is associated with increased gut permeability and inflammation.
• The study investigates gut permeability changes during the menopause transition in women.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine if gut permeability increases during the menopause transition (MT) in women.
• To explore the association between increased gut permeability, inflammation, and bone mineral density (BMD).

Main Methods:

• The study included 65 women from the Study of Women's Health Across the Nation (SWAN).
• Key measures included gut permeability markers (FABP2), microbial translocation markers (LBP, sCD14), inflammation (hs-CRP), and BMD (LS, TH).
• Statistical analysis involved repeated measures, mixed-effects linear regression, adjusted for BMI, age, race/ethnicity, and study site.

Main Results:

• Gut permeability markers (FABP2, LBP, sCD14) significantly increased from pre- to postmenopause.
• Higher gut permeability was significantly associated with increased inflammation.
• Increased gut permeability was also associated with lower lumbar spine (LS) and total hip (TH) bone mineral density (BMD).

Conclusions:

• Gut permeability demonstrably increases during the menopause transition in women.
• Elevated gut permeability correlates with heightened inflammation and diminished BMD.
• Further research is warranted to investigate the longitudinal relationships between gut permeability, inflammation, and BMD.