Insulin-like growth factor Ⅰ, osteocalcin and skeletal quality: an invited review

Osteoporosis is a major public health problem, but its pathogenesis remains unclear. For example, the precise functions of insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) and osteocalcin in skeleton have been poorly understood, although it is well known that growth-hormore IGF-I axis plays a critical role in bone health and that serum concentration of osteocalcin in one of the most utilized biological markers for the clinical assessment of metabolic bone diseases. This brief review focuses on the involvement of IGF-I and osteocalcin in bone quality (bone material properties), and proposes a few combination therapy using vitaminn K for the prevention of osteoporotic fractures. Serum vitamin K level decreases as a person gets older, and thus this vitamin may be a good choice to improve the health-related quality of life in the elderly.

Insulin-ｌｉke