Calcium is an essential mineral in our body. It plays crucial roles in signal transduction and the regulation of physiological functions in several organ systems. Calcium is mainly absorbed in the small intestine, and excess calcium is excreted into urine by the kidney (Diaz de Barboza, et al., 2015). More than 99% of the total body calcium is stored in bone, where the amount of calcium determines the bone strength. Osteoporosis, the most common metabolic bone disorder observed in aging populations, is characterized by reduced bone calcium content and impaired bone strength, partly due to accelerated bone resorption and insufficient calcium intake. There has been considerable interest in preventing osteoporosis by calcium supplementation (Areco, et al., 2015). However, the major hurdle in the use of calcium supplements is the limited calcium bioavailability due to the formation of insoluble and non-absorbable calcium phosphate in the gastrointestinal tract (Bronner & Pansu, 1999). COS (MW <10kDa) at concentrations from 50mg/mL – 500mg/mL has been reported to inhibit the formation of insoluble calcium phosphate in buffers with neutral pH through a mechanism involving calcium chelation, which depends on the interaction between the carboxyl/amino groups of COS and calcium(Gotoh, et al., 2004; Jung, et al., 2006). Interestingly, COS with a MW <5kDa was effective in promoting calcium retention in ovariectomized rats fed a low-calcium diet (Jung, et al., 2006). Furthermore, a diet containing COS (MW <5kDa), calcium and vitamin D increased calcium retention and reduced fecal calcium loss inovariectomized rats. These results indicate that COS enhances intestinal calcium absorption. Of particular importance, COS supplementation improved the calcium content, bone mineral density, and strength of the femurs of ovariectomized rats. The degrees to which COS supplementation increased calcium retention and improved bone health were similar to those for casein phosphopeptides, a natural calcium absorption fortifier commonly found in milk. These findings suggest the potential utility of COS as a calcium absorption fortifier, especially in individuals with lactose intolerance.
References
1. Diaz de Barboza, G., Guizzardi, S., & Tolosa de Talamoni, N. (2015). Molecular aspects of intestinal calcium absorption. World J Gastroenterol, 21, 7142-7154.
2. Areco, V., Rivoira, M. A., Rodriguez, V., Marchionatti, A. M., Carpentieri, A., & Tolosa de Talamoni, N. (2015). Dietary and pharmacological compounds altering intestinal calcium absorption in humans and animals. Nutr Res Rev, 28, 83-99.
3. Bronner, F., & Pansu, D. (1999). Nutritional aspects of calcium absorption. J Nutr, 129, 9-12.
4. Gotoh, T., Matsushima, K., & Kikuchi, K. (2004). Preparation of alginate-chitosan hybrid gel beads and adsorption of divalent metal ions. Chemosphere, 55, 135-140
5. Jung, W. K., Moon, S. H., & Kim, S. K. (2006). Effect of chitooligosaccharides on calcium bioavailability and bone strength in ovariectomized rats. Life Sci, 78, 970-976.
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