Sodium benzoate and bone loss in mice and lab cells
What it found
Sodium benzoate reduced bone density in mice and blocked bone-building cell development in lab tests.
The effect happened through a specific chemical pathway inside the cells.
What they found
Animal and lab studies
Bone loss in mice
Mice given 400 mg/kg of sodium benzoate every two days for six weeks lost bone density and showed worse bone structure. Continuing the treatment for nine weeks caused further bone loss.
Stopping did not reverse damage
When researchers stopped giving sodium benzoate after six weeks and gave plain liquid instead for three more weeks, the bone loss did not get worse but it also did not recover.
Blocked bone cell growth
In lab dishes, sodium benzoate at 5 mM and 10 mM stopped bone marrow stem cells from rats and pre-bone cells from mice from maturing into bone-building cells. Higher doses caused a stronger block.
Lowered key protein levels
Lab tests showed that 10 mM sodium benzoate reduced levels of FGF2, RUNX2, OCN, and ALP. These are proteins needed for bone cells to develop properly.
Specific chemical pathway
Sodium benzoate blocked one specific signaling route called p38/MAPK inside the lab cells. When researchers artificially turned this route back on, the cells started developing normally again despite the sodium benzoate.
What the authors conclude
- They conclude that long-term intake of sodium benzoate speeds up bone loss by blocking bone cell development through the FGF2/p38/RUNX2 pathway.
- The authors advise that keeping oral intake of sodium benzoate at reasonable levels is an important step for preventing osteoporosis.
How it was done
Osteoporosis affects about 200 million people globally, causing fragile bones and fractures. Sodium benzoate is widely used in foods like fizzy drinks and sauces, but its effect on bone mass was unknown.
Researchers gave 30 female mice sodium benzoate by mouth every two days for six or nine weeks at a dose of 400 mg/kg. They also treated mouse bone cells and stem cells from rat bone marrow with 5 mM or 10 mM sodium benzoate in lab dishes.
What it can’t tell you
- These experiments were done in mice and lab dishes, so they cannot show what happens in human bones.
- A study in animals can suggest a link between an ingredient and bone loss, but it cannot prove the same effect occurs in people eating normal food amounts.
Who paid
- Authors work at
- Jining Medical University, China; Affiliated Hospital of Jining Medical University, China
The paper
- Title
- Sodium Benzoate Inhibits Osteoblast Differentiation and Accelerates Bone Loss by Regulating the FGF2/p38/RUNX2 Pathway
- Type
- Study
- Evidence
- Animals and lab studies
- Summarised from
- Full text
- Cite
- Wang Z, Wang Y, Tang Y, et al (2025). Sodium Benzoate Inhibits Osteoblast Differentiation and Accelerates Bone Loss by Regulating the FGF2/p38/RUNX2 Pathway. Journal of agricultural and food chemistry. doi:10.1021/acs.jafc.5c01124Free full textPubMed 40404584DOI
Summary written 30 Sep 2026. Check it against the paper before it changes what you eat. How we summarise papers · Report an error