A Metabolic Screen in Adolescents Reveals an Association Between Circulating Citrate and Cortical Bone Mineral Density

This paper aimed to explain whether factors related to fat metabolism directly influence skeletal development.

Associations between a detailed metabolic screen focusing on fat metabolism were examined using Nightingale's NMR metabolomics assay, and peripheral quantitative computed tomography measures of the mid-tibia, in 15 year-olds from the ALSPAC cohort. Result showed that in adolescents, circulating levels of citrate are inversely related to cortical bone mineral density and positively related to periosteal circumference, reflecting associations with higher bone turnover.