Prunes for osteo? - Osteoporosis Message Board

omzenska · 01-23-2009, 04:22 PM

Has anyone ever heard that prunes can help build better bones?

Since my osteo diagnosis about 5 months ago I've done countless internet searches, and I haven't really come up with anything new in the past few months (aside from more bad news about osteo drugs!), but today I found some interesting sites claiming that prunes have been shown to rebuild bone in rats and to increase bone formation markers in postmeno women. One of the sites said that prunes contain boron, so that might explain the effect.

This made me think of my grandmother - she ate prunes often, and she lived to be 89 and had some pretty bad falls but she never ever broke a bone... So who knows? there might be something to it!

starfish81 · 01-23-2009, 04:49 PM

Always nice when it turns out a food (and a tasty one at that) can help our bones. I wonder if the benefits can also be had from plums, since that's basically what a prune is.

tulsatime · 01-23-2009, 07:04 PM

Thanks for the info on prunes and boron! I have just started adding horsetail to my bone repertoire. Time will tell. Here is the info from the University of Maryland Medical Center:

[url]http://www.umm.edu/altmed/articles/horsetail-000257.htm[/url]

Healing wishes to all,
tulsa

phylwill1152 · 01-23-2009, 08:41 PM

This is from the USA Weekend magazine article from a while back. It stated that feeding prunes to animals could both prevent and reverse bone loss, and that post-menopausal women who ate 3.5 ounces a day (about 10 prunes) had improved bone density. They are also beneficial in the prevention of heart disease, some cancers and other chronic diseases. Another benefit is that they reduce wrinkles...take care...phyllis

mbeth50 · 01-23-2009, 08:54 PM

Yes There is an osteopenia site hosted by a very knowledgeable women who posts new research findings continually and last year I read on there about prunes. I have been eating them every day since!!