A year-long clinical trial led by Florida International University nutrition researcher Cristina Palacios suggests that a daily prebiotic fiber powder may help adolescents absorb more calcium and build more bone. The results were published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
The NIH-funded study, called MetA-Bone, followed children ages 9 to 14 who were not getting enough calcium. Participants kept their usual diets and mixed a powder into their routine twice a day. About half received a soluble corn fiber supplement, and the rest received a look-alike placebo. Researchers measured bone mineral content with DEXA scans at the start, at six months and at 12 months.
The effect showed up in girls. Their bone mineral content rose 18.8%, compared with 12.9% in the placebo group. Boys did not show the same result. The researchers said the study was not designed to explain the difference and that the finding needs confirmation in larger trials.
Palacios said the gap matters because most bone mass is built in early adolescence, around the onset of puberty. Current guidelines call for 1,300 milligrams of calcium a day, and an estimated 90% of girls fall short, according to the study.
For local families, the takeaway is practical. Palacios said soluble fiber, found in foods such as oats, beans, lentils and citrus, or in over-the-counter powders, may be an easy addition to a child’s diet. She also said fortifying kid-friendly foods with the fiber could be a future option.
