Supplementation with Green Tea Polyphenols Improves Bone Microstructure and Quality in Aged, Orchidectomized Rats

Recent studies show that green tea polyphenols (GTPs) attenuate bone loss and microstructure deterioration in ovariectomized aged female rats, a model of postmenopausal osteoporosis. This study evaluated the efficacy of GTPs at mitigating bone loss and microstructure deterioration along with related mechanisms in androgen-deficient aged rats, a model of male osteoporosis. A 2 (sham vs. orchidectomy) × 2 (no GTP and 0.5% GTP in drinking water) factorial design was studied for 16 weeks using 40 aged male rats. An additional 10 rats (baseline group) were killed at the beginning of study to provide baseline parameters. There was no difference in femoral mineral density between baseline and the sham only group. Orchidectomy suppressed serum testosterone and tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase concentrations, liver glutathione peroxidase activity, bone mineral density, and bone strength. Orchidectomy also decreased trabecular bone volume, number, and thickness in the distal femur and proximal tibia and bone-formation rate in trabecular bone of proximal tibia but increased serum osteocalcin concentrations and bone-formation rates in the endocortical tibial shaft. GTP supplementation resulted in increased serum osteocalcin concentrations, bone mineral density, and trabecular volume, number, and strength of femur; increased trabecular volume and thickness and bone formation in both the proximal tibia and periosteal tibial shaft; decreased eroded surface in the proximal tibia and endocortical tibial shaft; and increased liver glutathione peroxidase activity. We conclude that GTP supplementation attenuates trabecular and cortical bone loss through increasing bone formation while suppressing bone resorption due to its antioxidant capacity.