Women who are at risk of bone loss or osteoporosis as they age could benefit from plums. This is according to a new study in which researchers examine the effects of the fruit on theexamined bone health. The study authors already knew that eating plums or prunes is good for the intestines. However, the new study results have shown that they could also benefit bones.
Health benefits of plums for osteoporosis in old age
In the present research, the authors found that prunes may help prevent or delay bone loss in postmenopausal women. This may be due to their ability to reduce inflammation and oxidative stress that lead to osteoporosis. In postmenopausal women, lower estrogen levels can trigger an increase in oxidative stress and inflammation. Accordingly, this increases the risk of bone weakness, which can cause bone fractures, the researchers said. In addition, including prunes in the diet can help protect bones by slowing or even reversing this process. Osteoporosis in old age is a disease in which bones become weak or brittle. According to the researchers, bone loss occurs most often in women over 50 or after menopause. The disease affects more than 200 million women worldwide and causes almost nine million fractures per year.
According to the researchers, fruits and vegetables rich in bioactive compounds such as phenols, flavonoids and carotenoids could help protect against osteoporosis in old age. Prunes have many nutritional benefits such as minerals, vitamin K, phenols and fiber. All could help counteract some of the negative effects of aging. Consuming 100 grams of plums (about 10) daily for a year improved bone mineral density in the forearm and lower spine and reduced signs of bone turnover. Additionally, eating 50 or 100 grams of prunes per day for six months prevented loss of total bone mineral density and reduced TRAP-5b - a marker of bone resorption. Taken together, this study suggests that prunes may help reduce bone loss as we age. The study authors plan to demonstrate these results through future controlled research.
