• Universitat de València
• Foundation for Biomedical Research of Puerta de Hierro University Hospital
• HERO AG

• Fernando Granado Lorencio
• Luis Manuel Sánchez Siles
• Mª Jesús Lagarda Blanch 

Both osteoporosis and cardiovascular diseases (coronary heart disease, cerebrovascular disease, increased blood pressure or hypertension, peripheral vascular disease, heart failure, etc.) develop due to common causes such as smoking, lack of physical activity and an unhealthy diet, as well as low oestrogen and other hormone production in the case of postmenopausal women. Both types of diseases significantly increase the mortality rate and decrease the quality of life. There are currently dairy products with added plant sterols on the market that were developed to reduce cardiovascular risk factors. In addition, recent epidemiological studies link carotenoid-rich diets with good bone health. However, there are no products that can improve and prevent osteoporosis and cardiovascular disease together.

Researchers from the Universitat de València, the Foundation for Biomedical Research of Puerta de Hierro University Hospital and the company Hero have developed a composition or edible product that has a synergistic effect on osteoporosis and cardiovascular diseases. The product has demonstrated its efficacy in post-menopausal women, a group at high risk of bone demineralisation and the development of cardiovascular disease. This composition is rich in two components simultaneously, one of them with known beneficial effects for osteoporosis and the other for cardiovascular diseases. Regular consumption of the developed composition results in a significant decrease (5-7%) in serum total cholesterol levels compared to an equal composition providing only the component beneficial for cardiovascular diseases. In addition, regular consumption of the developed composition reduces biomarkers of bone remodelling compared to an equal composition providing only the osteoporosis-beneficial component.
Thus, the developed composition has shown a beneficial effect on markers of cardiovascular risk and on bone remodelling by reducing cholesterol levels and markers of both formation and resorption, resulting in a lower rate of bone turnover and a slowing down of bone remodelling. Since osteoporosis is characterised by increased bone remodelling, this composition has a dual beneficial effect on osteoporosis and cardiovascular diseases.

The developed composition has application in the field of health, as a food, food supplement or medicine for the treatment and/or prevention of cardiovascular diseases and osteoporosis.

The main advantages provided by the invention are:

• Double functional effect in a single composition.
• Synergistic effect of the composition on osteoporosis and cardiovascular diseases.
• Effect supported by a clinical study in post-menopausal women.

• Patent granted