Tart cherry juice against osteoporosis

Osteoporosis is a condition of great concern given its widespread. In fact, it is estimated that more than 200 million people around the world are called to deal with it. Can nutrition help protect bone health and make them more resistant? It seems so. In fact, as evidenced by a recent scientific research published in the journal Nutrients by a team of American scientists, tart cherries and tart cherry juice are able to counteract bone loss linked to osteoporosis, especially in women.

It is estimated that, of all osteoporosis-related fractures, about 9 million per year, 61% concern women who have passed the menopause. In fact, what happens in normal bone in an adult is the perfect balance between bone resorption and the formation of new tissue. With age and, as happens in postmenopausal women, the decline in some hormones such as estrogen, inflammation and oxidative stress can increase and make bone resorption prevail, resulting in the condition called osteoporosis. Tart cherries contain substances capable of reducing the indicators of inflammation and the action of free radicals. Freeze-dried extracts of tart cherries have already shown to increase bone density. Therefore, the researchers wondered whether tart cherry juice, which is easily found on the market in all seasons, could have the same effect. To figure this out, the scientists recruited 30 women, average age 71 and with low bone density. The participants were divided into two groups. The first group was asked to take 250 ml of tart cherry juice once a day while the second group had to take 250 ml of tart cherry juice twice a day. Effects on bone density were evaluated after 90 days. What emerged, after a relatively short period of taking tart cherry juice, was that this drink is actually able to counter osteoporosis by reducing bone resorption. However, the beneficial effect was observed only with the highest dose of tart cherry juice, namely 250 ml twice a day.