Oligofructose, mineral absorption and bone health in animal studies
What it found
In animal studies, oligofructose and related fibers increased the absorption of calcium, magnesium and some trace minerals.
Even small increases built up more bone mineral over several months.
What they found
Animal and lab studies
Calcium absorption in animals
Rats and mice fed oligofructose took in more calcium from their food. The effect was stronger in fast-growing young animals and in those with poor calcium uptake after surgery or hormone loss.
Magnesium absorption in animals
Growing rats given 50 g oligofructose per kilogram of diet absorbed 27% more magnesium. Dogs also showed better magnesium uptake when fed this fiber.
Trace minerals in animals
Some rat studies found higher iron, copper and zinc absorption with inulin or oligofructose. One study in growing rats fed 10, 30 or 50 g oligofructose per kilogram unexpectedly found lower copper absorption.
Bone strength in animals
Even a small rise in calcium uptake led to more mineral stored in bones over time. In adult rats missing ovaries, oligofructose slowed the loss of spongy inner bone.
How it works in animals
Gut bacteria ferment these fibers into short-chain fatty acids that make the gut more acidic. This acidity helps dissolve minerals so the gut lining can absorb them more easily.
What the authors conclude
- They suggest that inulin-type fructans like oligofructose could help improve calcium supply and support bone health in human diets.
- They note that long-chain inulin or a mix of long and short chains worked better than oligofructose alone in most animal tests.
- They advise that even a small but lasting boost in mineral absorption may build up meaningful amounts of bone mineral over time.
How it was done
Bone diseases cost billions each year and affect millions of older people. The authors wanted to see if these fibers could help the body take in more bone-building minerals from food.
They reviewed experiments mostly done in rats, mice, pigs, dogs and hens. The animals were fed diets containing 5 g to 150 g of these fibers per kilogram of food. Some trials lasted just two weeks while others ran for four months or longer.
What it can’t tell you
- These are animal studies, so they cannot show what happens in people eating foods with oligofructose.
- The doses used in animal feed were often much higher than what a person would eat.
- Scientists do not yet know if the same bone benefits occur in humans at normal dietary amounts.
Who paid
- Authors work at
- Institute of Physiology and Biochemistry of Nutrition, Germany
The paper
- Title
- Inulin and oligofructose and mineral metabolism: the evidence from animal trials
- Type
- ReviewThe authors read earlier studies and describe what they found. It isn’t a new study.
- Evidence
- Animals and lab studies
- Summarised from
- Full text
- Cite
- Scholz-Ahrens KE, Schrezenmeir J (2007). Inulin and oligofructose and mineral metabolism: the evidence from animal trials. The Journal of nutrition. doi:10.1093/jn/137.11.2513SFree full textPubMed 17951495DOI
Summary written 1 Oct 2026. Check it against the paper before it changes what you eat. How we summarise papers · Report an error