Research article

Choline-stabilized orthosilicic acid supplementation as an adjunct to Calcium/Vitamin D3 stimulates markers of bone formation in osteopenic females: a randomized, placebo-controlled trial

Tim D Spector¹ , Mario R Calomme² , Simon H Anderson³ , Gail Clement¹ , Liisa Bevan¹ , Nathalie Demeester² , Rami Swaminathan⁴ , Ravin Jugdaohsingh^5,6,7 , Dirk A Vanden Berghe² and Jonathan J Powell⁷

¹  Twin Research and Genetic Epidemiology Unit, St Thomas' Hospital, Kings College, London, UK

²  Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Pharmaceutical, Biomedical and Veterinary Sciences, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium

³  Department of Gastroenterology, College House, South Wing, St Thomas' Hospital, London, UK

⁴  Department of Chemical Pathology, North Wing, St Thomas' Hospital, London, UK

⁵  Gastrointestinal Laboratory, Rayne Institute (King's College London), St Thomas' Hospital, London, UK

⁶  Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, King's College London, 150 Stamford Street, London, UK

⁷  MRC Human Nutrition Research, Elsie Widdowson Laboratory, Cambridge, UK

author email corresponding author email

BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders 2008, 9:85doi:10.1186/1471-2474-9-85

Published:	11 June 2008

Abstract

Background

Mounting evidence supports a physiological role for silicon (Si) as orthosilicic acid (OSA, Si(OH)₄) in bone formation. The effect of oral choline-stabilized orthosilicic acid (ch-OSA) on markers of bone turnover and bone mineral density (BMD) was investigated in a double-blind placebo-controlled trial.

Methods

Over 12-months, 136 women out of 184 randomized (T-score spine < -1.5) completed the study and received, daily, 1000 mg Ca and 20 μg cholecalciferol (Vit D3) and three different ch-OSA doses (3, 6 and 12 mg Si) or placebo. Bone formation markers in serum and urinary resorption markers were measured at baseline, and after 6 and 12 months. Femoral and lumbar BMD were measured at baseline and after 12 months by DEXA.

Results

Overall, there was a trend for ch-OSA to confer some additional benefit to Ca and Vit D3 treatment, especially for markers of bone formation, but only the marker for type I collagen formation (PINP) was significant at 12 months for the 6 and 12 mg Si dose (vs. placebo) without a clear dose response effect. A trend for a dose-corresponding increase was observed in the bone resorption marker, collagen type I C-terminal telopeptide (CTX-I).

Lumbar spine BMD did not change significantly. Post-hoc subgroup analysis (baseline T-score femur < -1) however was significant for the 6 mg dose at the femoral neck (T-test). There were no ch-OSA related adverse events observed and biochemical safety parameters remained within the normal range.

Conclusion

Combined therapy of ch-OSA and Ca/Vit D3 had a potential beneficial effect on bone collagen compared to Ca/Vit D3 alone which suggests that this treatment is of potential use in osteoporosis. NTR 1029