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When it comes to maintaining bone health, the first things most consumers think of is drinking milk and taking vitamins.

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But new research reveals that the gene responsible for regulating appetite and controlling obesity also plays a role in bone growth. University of Florida and Oregon State scientists transferred a gene for the hormone leptin into the brains of obese mice that lacked the leptin gene. The transplant not only helped the mice lose weight, it also caused bones to grow, normalizing bone volume. The findings provide insight into diseases such as osteoporosis, which is estimated to contribute to two million bone fractures annually in the u-s.

Dr. Satya Kalra / UF neuroscientist

"Since we injected the leptin gene in the brain and these animals showed improvement in bone health, it suggested that leptin probably acts in the brain to regulate bone growth."

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Experts believe enhancing bone accumulation during the growing years, both in animals and in humans, is important for preventing osteoporosis later in life. The researchers noted that both groups of mice in the study- those that were leptin-deficient and received the replacement gene, as well as those with normal genes- ate the same diet, indicating that leptin and the brain contribute to bone health just as nutrition and calcium intake do. The findings also pointed to links between bone growth and increased lifespan.

Dr. Satya Kalra / UF neuroscientist

"We had shown that these animals live longer- and it may be that the maintenance of good bone health may play a role in prolonging the lifespan in these animals."

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At the University of Florida Health Science Center, I'm Mike Garrison