Antarctic krill peptides as a novel dietary supplement ameliorating glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis

Dietary supplements are increasingly used as adjuncts to medical treatments to promote bone health. Although many biological effects of Antarctic krill peptides (AKP) have recently been demonstrated, their effects on glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis (GIOP) remain unclear. The ameliorative effects of AKP on GIOP were investigated in C57BL/6J mice.

Glucocorticoid-induced reduction in weight gain in mice was reversed after 4 weeks of AKP intake. Intake of 20-100 mg kg^-1 AKP significantly reduced bone resorption markers, including tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP), C-terminal telopeptide of type I collagen (CTX-I), receptor activator of nuclear factor-κB ligand (RANKL), and deoxypyridinoline (DPD), and increased bone formation markers, including osteoprotegerin (OPG), osteocalcin (OCN), bone-specific alkaline phosphatase (ALP-B), and procollagen type I N-terminal propeptide (PINP) (P < 0.05), promoting a favorable shift in bone homeostasis. Following AKP consumption, bone length, weight, hardness, and dry weight index increased significantly (P < 0.05), indicating increased mechanical strength of bone tissue. Antarctic krill peptides also increased percentage bone volume, trabecular number, trabecular thickness, and bone mineral density significantly and decreased trabecular separation, the structural modeling index, and the trabecular pattern factor (P < 0.05), indicating improved bone microstructure in mice. They also reduced calcium excretion and increased bone calcium content significantly compared with the model group (P < 0.05).

These findings suggest that AKP has the potential to be developed as a functional food ingredient or dietary supplement for the prevention and management of GIOP. © 2026 Society of Chemical Industry.