Age-Related Loss in Bone Mineral Density of Rats Fed Lifelong on a Fish Oil-Based Diet Is Avoided by Coenzyme Q10 Addition

During aging, bone mass declines increasing osteoporosis and fracture risks. Oxidative stress has been related to this bone loss, making dietary compounds with antioxidant properties a promising weapon. Male Wistar rats were maintained for 6 or 24 months on diets with fish oil as unique fat source, supplemented or not with coenzyme Q(10) (CoQ(10)), to evaluate the potential of adding this molecule to the n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (n-3 PUFA)-based diet for bone mineral density (BMD) preservation. BMD was evaluated in the femur. Serum osteocalcin, osteopontin, receptor activator of nuclear factor-kappa B ligand, ostroprotegerin, parathyroid hormone, urinary F-2-isoprostanes, and lymphocytes DNA strand breaks were also measured. BMD was lower in aged rats fed a diet without CoQ(10) respect than their younger counterparts, whereas older animals receiving CoQ(10) showed the highest BMD. F-2-isoprostanes and DNA strand breaks showed that oxidative stress was higher during aging. Supplementation with CoQ(10) prevented oxidative damage to lipid and DNA, in young and old animals, respectively. Reduced oxidative stress associated to CoQ(10) supplementation of this n-3 PUFA-rich diet might explain the higher BMD found in aged rats in this group of animals.