Osteoporosis, or loss of bone mass and deterioration of the bone structure, is associated with risk factors such as chronic inflammation, increased oxidative stress, and hormonal imbalance.
Polyphenols are healthful compounds from plants. Their health effects have been extensively studied. Their role in the potential prevention of major chronic noninfectious diseases such as cancer, diabetes, and cardiovascular disorders. Their biological activity results from many complex mechanisms and interactions. They are well known for their antioxidant properties.
Study
A paper published in Nov 2015 in Food Research International journal reviewed reports based on molecular mechanisms of dietary polyphenols (DP) in the prevention and treatment of osteoporosis.
Key points
- Dietary polyphenols (DP) reduce bone loss through antioxidative and anti-inflammatory actions.
- DPs reduce oxidative stress, enhancing bone regeneration and suppressing bone loss.
- DPs improve bone structure by regulation of different molecular signaling.
- Fruit and vegetables are rich in polyphenols. They can be used as an effective remedy in the prevention and treatment of osteoporosis.
Conclusion
Regular consumption of fruits and vegetables can help in the prevention and treatment of osteoporosis.
My Views
- We tend to think in terms of calcium and vitamin D for bone strengthening. The mechanism seems clearcut and logical: vitamin D increases calcium absorption into the blood and the increased calcium gets deposited into the bone matrix making it stronger. However, there are many other mechanism that work parallely towards bone strengthening.
- Many inflammatory and oxidative pathways lead to bone breakdown. They proceed even in the presence of adequate calcium. Many people have found that in spite of decades of calcium intake, their bones stay weak. The possible reasons are inflammatory signalling to osteoclasts, the cells that break down bone tissue, as well as oxidative breakdown of the existing bone structure.
- If one consumes anti-inflammatory as well as antioxidant foods and supplements, one should get stronger bones, if they are not improving even with calcium and vitamin D supplementation.
To Read More
- On this website: Everything you want to know about strong bones (password-protected; limited access)
- MedicalNewsToday: 11 ways to increase bone density naturally
- Research paper: Oxidative stress in bone remodeling: role of antioxidants (role of antioxidants in bone health)
- Research paper: Osteoporosis, inflammation, and ageing (role of antiinflammatories in bone health)
- On this website: Are bones a living tissue?
First published on: 10th November 2015
Image credit: Pixabay on Pexels
Last updated on: 27th December 2021