Time-Restricted Feeding Improves Bone Health in Mice

Time restricted eating (TRE) is an increasingly popular diet strategy that has shown promise for weight loss and improving metabolic health. The impact of TRE on bone health has not been extensively studied, and the goal of this experiment is to provide more insight into this subject. 32 10-week old female mice were randomly assigned to 4 groups (n = 8). These included low fat diet fed ad-libitum, low fat time restricted feeding (TRF), high fat diet fed ad-libitum, and high fat TRF. The mice adhered to these diets for 9 weeks, with the TRF groups having access to food for 8 hours per day until the sacrifice. At nine weeks, the TRF mice had significantly lowered body weight, improved body composition, and a lower fasting blood glucose. The TRF groups also experienced significant improvements in the trabecular bone density of the tibia, femur, and L3 vertebral body. This was found alongside reductions in osteoclast count and activity in the TRF mice. When compared to a baseline group of 10-week old mice, it was found that the TRF group had significantly less bone loss relative to the ad-libitum fed mice. Improvements in metabolic health, gut barrier function, and inflammation may have all contributed to the observed improvements in bone health. These results reveal a promising and previously unrecognized dietary tool to improve bone health and counteract age-related bone loss.