Killing Helicobacter pylori may protect bones in older women, 20-year study reveals

A 20-year follow-up study has shown that eradication of Helicobacter pylori is effective in preventing osteoporosis in women aged 50 and older.

The National Institute of Health (NIH), under the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA), announced on Monday that Helicobacter pylori eradication treatment is effective in preventing osteoporosis. This study was conducted by a research team led by Professor Kim Na-young of the Department of Gastroenterology at Seoul National University Bundang Hospital (SNUBH), with support from the Korean NIH.

Helicobacter pylori is a common bacterium that infects more than half of the global population and is a major cause of gastritis, peptic ulcers, and gastric cancer. In 2017, the prevalence rate in Korea among those aged 16 and older was 44 percent, and recent studies have suggested that this bacterium may also cause various diseases through systemic inflammatory responses.

Osteoporosis weakens bones, making them prone to fractures. It is a common disease, affecting 37.3 percent of women aged 50 and older in Korea. Fractures caused by osteoporosis increase mortality rates among older adults and raise medical costs, emerging as a social issue.

A longitudinal study conducted at SNUBH from 2003 to 2023, involving 846 adults who underwent Helicobacter pylori testing, found that among the 116 participants who did not receive eradication therapy, 34.5 percent developed osteoporosis. The incidence rate in the group of 730 individuals who successfully eradicated Helicobacter pylori was 24.5 percent, indicating an approximately 29 percent reduction in osteoporosis risk.

The preventive effect of eradication therapy was particularly pronounced in female participants, with the highest efficacy observed in women aged 50 and older. No statistically significant difference was observed between men and women in terms of the relationship between eradication therapy and the prevention of osteoporosis.

“This study provides key evidence that managing Helicobacter pylori infection contributes not only to gastrointestinal diseases but also to the prevention of chronic conditions such as osteoporosis,” said Dr. Park Hyun-young, director general of the NIH. “In particular, women approaching menopause with reduced bone density should consider checking for Helicobacter infection and undergoing active eradication therapy.”

Park continued, “We plan to continue conducting gender-specific studies to establish optimal, customized disease prevention and treatment guidelines.”