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New Hormone Found To Build Stronger Bones

Researchers have identified a newly discovered hormone that shows promise in combating osteoporosis and accelerating bone healing, according to a recent study.

Named Maternal Brain Hormone, the hormone was uncovered during investigations into why breastfeeding women tend to maintain strong bones despite calcium depletion caused by milk production. It was found that neurons in lactating mothers secrete this hormone, which plays a crucial role in safeguarding bone health.

Experiments on mice revealed that increasing levels of Maternal Brain Hormone resulted in enhanced bone mass and strength in both female and male subjects. Moreover, the hormone significantly accelerated the healing of bone fractures in elderly mice, achieving healing rates comparable to those seen in younger mice.

Lead researcher Thomas Ambrosi, from the University of California-Davis, expressed enthusiasm about these outcomes, noting the hormone’s potential applications beyond osteoporosis treatment, possibly extending to therapies for cartilage regeneration.

The study also highlighted the hormone’s relevance to women’s health, particularly during menopause when declining estrogen levels contribute to increased osteoporosis risk. Interestingly, despite low estrogen levels during breastfeeding, women exhibit resistance to osteoporosis and fractures, suggesting an alternative mechanism supporting bone health.

Originally identified as CCN3 in a brain region of lactating mice, researchers renamed it Maternal Brain Hormone after observing its critical role in bone maintenance and its ability to more than double bone mass in older female mice or those lacking estrogen.

Published in the journal Nature, these findings pave the way for further research into using Maternal Brain Hormone to address various bone-related conditions affecting different populations, from post-menopausal women to breast cancer survivors on hormone blockers, elite female athletes, and older men vulnerable to hip fractures.

Senior researcher Holly Ingraham, from the University of California, San Francisco, emphasized the hormone’s potential to mitigate bone loss across these diverse scenarios, underscoring its potential as a groundbreaking therapeutic agent in bone health management.