Reduced dried plum dosage 'an effective bone loss treatment'

A reduced dosage of dried plums can be an effective treatment for preventing bone loss in older osteopenic postmenopausal women, a new study has concluded.Research published in the Osteoporosis International journal shows that consuming 50g of dried plums per day - the equivalent to five or six of the fruits - can be just as effective as eating 100g.Six-month trial tracks bone density loss A group of 48 women aged between 65 and 79 were split into three treatment groups over a six-month period, with some receiving 50g, some 100g, and the remainder acting as a control group. The body, hip and lumbar bone mineral density (BMD) was measured at the start of the study and following six months of treatment.BMD loss in both groups consuming dried plums was reduced compared to the control group following the treatment, with levels of the bone resorption marker TRAP-5b shown to have declined at the three-month mark, something that was sustained at six months. This occurred in both the 50g and 100g groups, suggesting a smaller dosage may still be an effective form of treatment.Bone resorption of dried plums a factor The researchers hypothesised the effectiveness of the 50g dosage "may be due, in part, to the ability of dried plums to inhibit bone resorption".Bone resorption is the process by the body breaks down bone and release the minerals, resulting in a transfer of calcium from bone fluid to the blood. This is a natural part of the process of renewing bone tissue, but in ...
Source: Arthritis Research UK - Category: Rheumatology Source Type: news