Fruits and Vegetables Help Protect Against Bone Loss

By Richard Shank

A new study by Tufts University researchers indicates that more attention needs to be paid to the role that fruits and vegetables play in preventing bone loss. Attention has traditionally been given to calcium and vitamin D with regard to bone loss, however increasing the alkali content of one’s diet through vegetable and fruit consumption can have a similar effect.

The average older adult consumes a diet that adds acid to the body; however, as the person ages, they become less able to excrete the acid. The body attempts to overcome this diminished ability through a process of bone breakdown called resorption. Bone resorption occurs when bone cells break down and release calcium, phosphates, and alkaline salts into the blood. The negative consequence of this is bone loss.

Diets that are high in protein and grains produce an excess of acid in the body, which has negative effects on bones. This research demonstrates that the positive and negative impact of high protein and grain diets can be balanced by adequate fruit and vegetable consumption.

The researchers of this study conducted a randomized clinical trial with 171 men and women over the age of 50. The research participants were given either a form alkali supplement pill or a placebo over a period of three months. Alkali provided by a supplement was meant to mimic an increase in fruit and vegetable consumption. Research participants taking the supplements experienced significantly reduced bone resorption and calcium excretion. These findings indicate that the alkali found in fruits and vegetables counterbalances the negative impact of acids produced by grains and proteins.

Research such as this confirms the often ignored, but well known, virtues of maintaining a balanced diet.

Source: Dawson-Hughes, B, Harris, S., Palermo, N. et al. January 2009. Treatment with potassium bicarbonate lowers calcium excretion and bone resorption in older men and women. Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism.

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