One week of high-fat overfeeding alters bone metabolism in healthy males: A pilot study

Objectives: Short periods of excessive consumption of indulgent high-fat foods are common in Western society, but the effect this has on bone is unknown. The aim of this pilot study was to explore how a 7-d hyperenergetic, high-fat diet affects candidate biomarkers of bone metabolism. Methods: The study included 12 healthy men with a mean age of 24 y (SD = 4 y) and body mass index (BMI) of 24.1 kg/m(2) (SD = 1.5). The men consumed a 7-d hyperenergetic, high-fat diet (HE-HFD; 20.9 [SD = 0.8] MJ; 65% total energy as fat) and a control (CON) diet (10.9 [SD = 2] MJ; 36% total energy as fat), in randomized, crossover order, with each trial separated by 3 wk. Markers of bone formation (P1NP) and bone resorption (CTx) were measured at baseline and after 1, 3, and 7 d of each diet. Bone metabolic responses were analyzed using two-factor repeated-measures analysis of variance and subsequent pairwise comparisons. Results: There was a main effect of time (P < 0.05), but no trial (P = 0.270) or time- x -trial interaction (P = 0.693) effects for plasma concentrations of CTx. Mean CTx concentrations did not differ between trials (CON: 0.97 ng/mL [SD = 0.39]; HE-HFD: 1.03 ng/mL [SD = 0.22]; P = 0.225). There was a main effect of trial (P < 0.01), but no time (P = 0.138) or trial- x -interaction (P = 0.179) effects for plasma concentrations of P1NP. Mean P1NP concentrations were lower during the HE-HFD (61.79 ng/mL [SD = 26.54]) than during the CON diet (77.89 ng/mL [SD = 28.71]; P < 0.01). Conclusions: A 7-d hyperenergetic, high-fat diet reduces a marker of bone formation but does not affect a marker of bone resorption. This pilot study suggested that short periods of excessive energy and fat consumption may detrimentally affect bone health. (c) 2022 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Automated summary

This pilot study aimed to explore the effects of a 7-day hyperenergetic, high-fat diet on biomarkers of bone metabolism. The results showed that the high-fat diet reduced a marker of bone formation but did not affect a marker of bone resorption. These findings suggest that short-term excessive consumption of energy and fat may have detrimental effects on bone health.