BSO induces weight loss in mice without bone damage
Updated
Updated · SciTechDaily · May 3
BSO induces weight loss in mice without bone damage
3 articles · Updated · SciTechDaily · May 3
In Aging, Naidu B. Ommi's team at the Orentreich Foundation compared four diets in obese male mice, including sulfur amino acid restriction, NAC supplementation and BSO treatment.
SAAR reduced fat but lowered bone density, osteoblast numbers and strength, while adding N-acetylcysteine reversed those harms, implicating cysteine and glutathione depletion in the bone damage.
The findings suggest anti-obesity benefits may be separated from skeletal harm, but researchers say sex, age, mechanism and long-term safety must be clarified before any therapeutic use.
Can lowering the body’s master antioxidant unlock weight loss while protecting our bones?
Could a new compound challenge popular weight-loss drugs by eliminating their bone-damaging side effects?
BSO Mimics Sulfur Amino Acid Restriction to Reduce Obesity While Preserving Bone Strength in Mice
Overview
In April 2026, researchers led by Naidu B. Ommi discovered that buthionine sulfoximine (BSO) promotes weight loss by lowering glutathione (GSH) levels without causing bone loss. This contrasts with sulfur amino acid restriction (SAAR), which also reduces obesity by lowering GSH but depletes cysteine, leading to oxidative stress in bone-forming cells and degradation of RUNX2, a key protein for bone health. BSO uniquely inhibits the enzyme glutamate-cysteine ligase to reduce GSH while sparing cysteine, preventing bone damage. This breakthrough uncouples effective fat loss from harmful skeletal effects, offering a promising new approach to obesity treatment that preserves bone strength.