Author: Mgr. Martin Jelínek
Expertise: nutrition, education in nutrition
Last expert review: March 30, 2022
It is a well-known fact that as age increases, the risk of bone thinning, leading to the development of osteoporosis, also rises. Although bones can become brittle at any age, this most commonly occurs due to hormonal changes in women after menopause. This condition affects more than 200 million women worldwide, causing nearly nine million fractures each year. It is therefore a common problem, and we know that nutrition plays a role in it. Dietary adjustments most often involve foods that have the ability to increase intake of calcium and vitamin D3.
A fresh piece of news in the world of nutrition is the finding that not only dairy products and bone broths, as rich sources of calcium, or certain fatty foods containing significant amounts of vitamin D, influence the suppression of the risk of bone density reduction. Studies conducted on postmenopausal women have found that regular consumption of dried plums helps to prevent or delay bone mass loss. [1]
This is a rather surprising piece of information, for which an answer is being sought as to what specifically triggers this effect. Scientists hypothesize that certain bioactive substances, such as phenolic acid, flavonoids, and carotenoids, which exhibit higher antioxidant activity, are responsible. Lower estrogen levels typical of the postmenopausal period, which can trigger an increase in oxidative stress and inflammation leading to bone weakening, influence bone density reduction. Substances contained in plums seemingly have the ability to reduce inflammation and oxidative stress, among other things, by triggering changes in the gut microbiota, which reduces inflammation in the large intestine. This can then lower the levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines and markers caused by oxidative stress.
Studies have found that consuming 100 grams of dried plums (equivalent to approximately 10 pieces) every day for a year improved bone density in the forearm and lower spine of the women surveyed.
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Mgr. Martin Jelínek
Founder of NutriCourses, lecturer and author of the educational system in the field of nutrition. He has been systematically engaged in nutrition education since 1999. He is the author of the educational application ZOF and professional publications focused on nutrition and a healthy lifestyle.