Food study launched examining bone health of women 60 years and older

Hebrew SeniorLife clinical food trial tests if the combination of probiotics and prebiotics will help in the management of bone health

2025-01-10

(Press-News.org) Hinda and Arthur Marcus Institute for Aging Research investigators at Hebrew SeniorLife have launched a large clinical food trial to test whether a combination of probiotics and prebiotics (BondiaÒ or SBD111) developed by Solarea Bio will help manage bone health in women aged 60 years and above. The first participants have joined the study and the Institute seeks additional women for the 18-month effort.

“I am very happy to be involved in this important research to help with bone health in women,” says study participant Kathy Egan. “I hope to learn about the effects of alternative solutions for the management of bone density. Women’s health issues are very important to me, and anything I can do to help is valuable.”

Principal investigator Dr. Shivani Sahni, PhD, and her research team also plan to study the underlying mechanisms (related to diet, inflammation, and the gut microbiome) leading to age-related bone loss.

The Study To Attenuate Resorption of the Skeleton (STARS) is a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, clinical food trial of a synbiotic (a combination of probiotic and prebiotic) medical food for the dietary management of metabolic processes underlying age-related bone loss. If successful, this trial will confirm that natural products can be used to manage these metabolic processes that underlie osteopenia and osteoporosis.

“There are currently no consistent guidelines on how middle-aged and older adults can maintain healthy bone mass as they age,” said Dr. Sahni. “Consequently, approximately 10 million Americans aged 50 years and above are living with osteoporosis, culminating in 1.5 million fractures costing $17 billion annually. Hence, there is an unmet need for safe and effective dietary interventions for the metabolic processes underlying bone loss.

The National Institute on Aging is funding the study.

Collaborating institutions include Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC), Maine Medical Center, Solarea Bio, and Tufts University.

Persons interested in participating in the study should contact Evelyn O’Neill at 617-971-5800.

About Hebrew SeniorLife
Hebrew SeniorLife, an affiliate of Harvard Medical School, is a national senior services leader uniquely dedicated to rethinking, researching, and redefining the possibilities of aging. Hebrew SeniorLife cares for more than 4,500 seniors a day across six campuses throughout Greater Boston. Locations include: Hebrew Rehabilitation Center-Boston and Hebrew Rehabilitation Center-NewBridge in Dedham; NewBridge on the Charles, Dedham; Orchard Cove, Canton; Simon C. Fireman Community, Randolph; Center Communities of Brookline, Brookline; Jack Satter House, Revere, and Leyland Community, Dorchester. Founded in 1903, Hebrew SeniorLife also conducts influential research into aging at the Hinda and Arthur Marcus Institute for Aging Research, which has a portfolio of more than $98 million, making it one of the largest gerontological research facilities in the U.S. in a clinical setting. It also trains more than 500 geriatric care providers each year. For more information about Hebrew SeniorLife, visit our website or follow us on our blog, Facebook, Instagram, Threads, and LinkedIn.

About the Hinda and Arthur Marcus Institute for Aging Research
Scientists at the Marcus Institute seek to transform the human experience of aging by conducting research that will ensure a life of health, dignity, and productivity into advanced age. The Marcus Institute carries out rigorous studies that discover the mechanisms of age-related disease and disability; lead to the prevention, treatment, and cure of disease; advance the standard of care for older people; and inform public decision-making.

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Food study launched examining bone health of women 60 years and older

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