Objective: There is not enough evidence about the relationship between free radicals and male osteoporosis. In this study we investigated the role of free oxygen radicals and antioxidants on male osteoporosis in 31 male patients with primary osteoporosis and 21 subjects as controls.
Methods: Bone mineral densities (BMD) of the lumbar and femoral neck region were evaluated using dual energy X-ray absorbsiometry. Serum malondialdehyde (MDA) and nitric oxide (NO) levels and superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activities were measured by analytical methods. In addition, serum osteocalcine and C telopeptide levels were determined to evaluate bone turnover MDA and NO levels and SOD activity were significantly increased (p < 0.05) in osteoporotic males.
Results: There was a negative correlation between SOD and lumbar BMD levels (r= -0.328; p = 0.021). The same trend was observed between NO and lumbar BMD (r = -0.473; p = 0.001) and femoral neck BMD values (r = -0.540; p = 0.000). There was no significant correlation between free radical levels and bone turnover markers.
Conclusion: The data indicate an increase in free oxygen radical levels. As a result, antioxidant defenses would compromise in primary male osteoporotic patients. Therefore, it may be suggested that oxidative stress plays an important role in the pathophysiology of primary male osteoporosis.