Eating prunes may help protect against bone loss in older women

It is already well-known that prunes are good in your intestine, however new Penn State analysis suggests they might be good for bone well being, too.

In a analysis evaluation, the researchers discovered that prunes may also help stop or delay bone loss in postmenopausal girls, probably because of their capability to cut back irritation and oxidative stress, each of which contribute to bone loss.

“In postmenopausal girls, decrease ranges of estrogen can set off an increase of oxidative stress and irritation, growing the danger of weakening bones which will result in fractures,” stated Connie Rogers, affiliate professor of dietary sciences and physiology. “Incorporating prunes into the weight loss plan could assist defend bones by slowing or reversing this course of.”

The evaluation was not too long ago printed within the journal Advances in Vitamin.

Osteoporosis is a situation by which bones change into weak or brittle that may occur to anybody at any age, however based on the researchers is commonest amongst girls over the age of fifty. The situation impacts greater than 200 million girls worldwide, inflicting virtually 9 million fractures annually.

Whereas drugs exist to deal with osteoporosis, the researchers stated there’s a rising curiosity for methods to deal with the situation with vitamin.

“Fruit and veggies which are wealthy in bioactive compounds corresponding to phenolic acid, flavonoids and carotenoids can doubtlessly assist defend in opposition to osteoporosis,” stated Mary Jane De Souza, professor of kinesiology and physiology, “with prunes particularly gaining consideration in earlier analysis.”

In line with the researchers, bones are maintained all through grownup life by processes that frequently construct new bone cells whereas eradicating outdated ones. However after the age of 40, this breaking down of outdated cells begins to outpace the formation of recent ones. This may be attributable to a number of elements together with irritation and oxidative stress, which is when free radicals and antioxidants are unbalanced within the physique.

Prunes, nevertheless, have many dietary advantages corresponding to minerals, vitamin Ok, phenolic compounds and dietary fiber—all which might be able to assist counter a few of these results.

For his or her evaluation, the researchers analyzed knowledge from 16 preclinical research in rodent fashions, ten preclinical research and two medical trials. Throughout the research, the researchers discovered proof that consuming prunes helped scale back irritation and oxidative stress and promoted bone well being.

For instance, the medical trials discovered that consuming 100 grams of prunes—about 10 prunes—every day for one 12 months improved bone mineral density of bones within the forearm and decrease backbone and decreased indicators of bone turnover.

Moreover, consuming 50 or 100 grams of prunes a day for six months prevented lack of whole bone mineral density and decreased TRAP-5b—a marker of bone resorption—in comparison with girls who did not eat prunes.

“Taken collectively, proof from in vitro, preclinical research, and restricted medical research counsel prunes could assist to cut back bone loss,” Rogers stated. “This can be because of altered bone turnover and by inhibiting irritation and suppressing markers of oxidative stress.”

The researchers stated one potential mechanism for the results is prunes triggering a change within the intestine microbiome that then lowers irritation within the colon. This will then decrease ranges of pro-inflammatory cytokines and markers of oxidative injury.

Sooner or later, the researchers plan to additional report on the results of prune consumption for 12 months on bone outcomes, inflammatory pathways and the intestine microbiota in a randomized managed trial that was led by De Souza.