A Totally Surprising Way to Build Bone: Prunes

Many natural supplements have been proven to help prevent bone loss and even increase bone mineral density. But here’s a totally surprinsing one. Research shows that eating prunes is effective for building bone. . . .

This study included 160 postmenopausal women with low bone density (osteopenia). The women were given either 100g of prunes (dried plums) or a placebo of dried apple. That’s about ten prunes a day.  All of the women also took 500mg of calcium and 400IU of vitamin D. At the end of the one year study, eating prunes had significantly increased bone mineral density compared to apple (Br J Nutr 2011;106:923-30). The effect of the prunes may be even greater than the study suggests because it is not totally clear that apple is a true placebo. Apples include nutrients, including boron, that are good for bones.

A more recent study set out to see if a lower dose of plums would work just as well. If 100g of plums was “highly effective,” how would half as many do? Forty-two postmenopausal women between the ages of 65 and 79 who had osteopenia were given either 50g of prunes, 100g of prunes or no prunes. As in the earlier study, they each also took 500mg of calcium and 400IU of vitamin D. At the end of the six month study, both doses of prunes had significantly increased bone mineral density. The lower dose was as effective as the higher dose (FASEB 2015;29:suppl 738.12).

So eating prunes may be a really simple way of protecting your bones from osteoporosis.

For much more on preventing and treating osteoporosis, see our book, The Family Naturopathic Encyclopedia.

For help with osteoporosis, make an appointment to see Linda Woolven now.