Bibliometric Analysis of Global Research Trends on Probiotic-Based Interventions for Postmenopausal Osteoporosis

Postmenopausal osteoporosis (PMOP) is a major skeletal disorder associated with increased fracture risk and substantial morbidity. Growing evidence links the gut microbiota with bone homeostasis, supporting investigation of probiotic-based interventions through immunomodulation, maintenance of intestinal barrier function, and production of short-chain fatty acids. Existing bibliometric studies have examined broader relationships between the gut microbiota, bone metabolism, and osteoporosis; the present analysis focuses specifically on probiotic-based interventions relevant to PMOP. Records indexed in the Web of Science Core Collection were retrieved from the earliest eligible publication in 2005 to a fixed search cut-off of 17 September 2026. Relevance was determined from titles, abstracts, and author keywords, followed by independent screening. A total of 274 records were analyzed using VOSviewer and CiteSpace to characterize publication trends, geographic and institutional contributions, author productivity, journal distribution, document co-citation, and keyword co-occurrence. Publication output remained sparse through 2019 and increased after 2020, reaching 44 publications in 2025, the latest complete year. China contributed the most publications, while the United States had the highest international co-authorship link strength. Michigan State University and Sichuan University each contributed 21 publications, and Claes Ohlsson had the highest number of publications. Co-citation and keyword analyses indicated a shift from prebiotic, calcium-absorption, and fermented-dairy research toward gut-microbiome mechanisms, immunomodulatory pathways, short-chain fatty acid signaling, and randomized clinical trials. These findings provide a reproducible descriptive map of an emerging and heterogeneous research area and identify directions for further clinical investigation.