A daily dose of prunes may preserve bone density and strength in older women, Penn State researchers say
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. (KDKA) -- Eating prunes daily may preserve bone density and strength in older women, according to a new study led by Penn State researchers.
The study, published in Osteoporosis International, says prunes may protect bone structure and strength in postmenopausal women, slowing the progression of age-related bone loss and reducing the risk of fracture.
As people age, the body breaks down bone faster than it can build it, Penn State explained in an article on its website. Accelerated bone loss can lead to osteoporosis, a disease that 10 million Americans have, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
It's a particular concern among postmenopausal women because they have declining levels of estrogen, which is critical for bone health, the university said.
That's where prunes come in.
Scientists say prunes have bioactive compounds like polyphenols which may blunt the inflammatory pathways that lead to bone loss.
Over 200 women participated in the study. They were broken into three groups that researchers followed for a year.
The first group didn't eat any prunes, and researchers said that the bone mass density and bone strength in their tibias decreased.
The two other groups ate prunes, with one eating about four to six a day and the other eating 10 to 12. Both saw benefits, but eating up to a dozen prunes a day proved to be a little tough to swallow for some women. Penn State said those women dropped out of the study at a higher rate "because they got bored of incorporating so many prunes into their daily diet."
Mary Jane De Souza, a professor of kinesiology and physiology, called the data exciting.
"This is the first randomized controlled trial to look at three-dimensional bone outcomes with respect to bone structure, geometry and estimated strength," De Souza said on Penn State's website. "In our study we saw that daily prune consumption impacted factors related to fracture risk. That's clinically invaluable."