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Lack of effect of supplementation with essential fatty acids on bone mineral density in healthy pre- and postmenopausal women:two randomized controlled trials of Efacal® v. calcium alone

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 March 2007

E. Joan Bassey ,
Julie J. Littlewood ,
M. Claire Rothwell  and
David W. Pye
E. Joan Bassey*
Affiliation:
University of Nottingham Medical School, Nottingham NG7 2UH, UK
Julie J. Littlewood
Affiliation:
University of Nottingham Medical School, Nottingham NG7 2UH, UK
M. Claire Rothwell
Affiliation:
University of Nottingham Medical School, Nottingham NG7 2UH, UK
David W. Pye
Affiliation:
University of Nottingham Medical School, Nottingham NG7 2UH, UK
*
*Corresponding author: Dr E. Joan Bassey, fax +44 (0)1159 709259, email [email protected]
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Abstract

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Randomized controlled trials of the effects of the dietary supplement Efacal® (Scotia Pharmaceuticals Plc, Guildford, Surrey, UK) v. Ca only on total body bone mineral density (BMD) and markers of bone turnover were conducted in healthy pre- and postmenopausal women separately. Total daily dose for 12 months for the Efacal® groups was: Ca 1·0 g, evening primrose oil 4·0 g and marine fish oil 440 mg; and for the control groups was: Ca 1·0 g. Reported compliance was better than 90 % in both age groups. For the forty-three premenopausal women (age range 25–40 years), initial mean total body BMD values were similar for Efacal® and control groups and both groups showed highly significant mean increases of about 1 %; however, there were no significant between-group differences for the changes in BMD or markers of bone turnover. For the forty-two postmenopausal women (age range 50–65 years), initial mean total body BMD values were again well-matched across treatment groups. Both Efacal® and control groups showed highly significant decreases in total body BMD of about 1 %, but again there were no significant between-group differences in total body BMD or markers of bone turnover. Possible confounding variables such as initial total body BMD were explored but had no effect on the outcome in either age group. Nail quality improved in both age groups and in both Efacal® and control groups. Again, there was no significant difference between treatment groups. No evidence was found to support a beneficial effect of Efacal® on BMD in these women.

Keywords

Bone mineral densityMenopauseEssential fatty acids
Type
Research Article
Information
British Journal of Nutrition , Volume 83 , Issue 6 , June 2000 , pp. 629 - 635
Copyright
Copyright © The Nutrition Society 2000

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