Cow's Milk Positively Impacts Bone Formation by Regulating the Osteocalcin Pathway Compared to Transgenic and Non-Transgenic Soy-Based Beverages in BALB/c Mice.

Abstract

Bone health is influenced by nutrition, with milk being one of the main dietary sources of calcium. However, many people are reducing their milk intake in favor of plant-based alternatives. This study compares the effects of cow's milk and soy-based beverage supplementation on femur morphofunctional parameters in BALB/c mice. The animals were randomized into four groups treated for 42 days with distilled water (G1), non-transgenic soy drink (G1), transgenic soy drink (G1), and cow's milk (G1). After euthanasia, femurs were collected for morphological and biomechanical analyses. G3 animals exhibited reduced phosphorus levels, cortical and trabecular thickness, diaphyseal diameter, type I collagen content, and increased porosity in the cortical bone. Conversely, G4 animals showed greater trabecular density (+20%), bone area (+20%), and trabecular width (+150%), as well as lower volume density of the medullary canal and trabecular separation. These animals also exhibited increased osteocalcin immunostaining, magnesium, phosphorus, and calcium levels; reduced diaphyseal porosity; and increased bone weight, suggesting that cow's milk positively impacts bone formation by stimulating osteocalcin production (+5%), especially compared to transgenic soy-based beverages. Therefore, our findings indicate that cow's milk may offer a safer alternative to soy-based beverages for promoting bone health.