Dried Plums May Protect Against Bone Loss Caused by Radiation
WASHINGTON (Dispatches) Eating dried plums may protect against bone loss caused by ionizing radiation, claims a new study.
The sudy found that eating dried plums could protect against bone loss in those heavily exposed to ionizing radiation, according to the Department of Nutrition and Food Science at Texas A&M University.
These include cancer patients undergoing radiotherapy, astronauts, radiation workers and victims of nuclear accidents.
For the study, the team tested a number of different antioxidant and anti-inflammatory interventions on mice that were exposed to ionizing radiation, assessing the effects the interventions had on the expression of genes linked to the breakdown of bone, as well as their effects on bone loss.
The interventions included a cocktail consisting of five different antioxidants (ascorbic acid, N-acetyl cysteine, L-selenomethionine, dihydrolipoic acid and vitamin E), dihydrolipoic acid, ibuprofen and dried plum.
The team found that dried plum was most effective for reducing expression of the genes Nfe2l2, Rankl, Mcp1, Opg and TNF-α, which are related to the breakdown of bone. Dried plum was also most effective for preventing later bone loss induced by ionizing radiation.
While the researchers are unable to explain the exact reasons why dried plums appear to protect bones from damage caused by ionizing radiation, they note that the fruit contains a number of polyphenols - including gallic acid, caffeoyl-quinic acids, coumaric acid and rutin - that have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.
In humans, bone loss can lead to osteoporosis - a disease in which the bones become more brittle, fragile and more vulnerable to breakage. It is estimated that osteoporosis is responsible for more than 8.9 million fractures worldwide each year.
The sudy found that eating dried plums could protect against bone loss in those heavily exposed to ionizing radiation, according to the Department of Nutrition and Food Science at Texas A&M University.
These include cancer patients undergoing radiotherapy, astronauts, radiation workers and victims of nuclear accidents.
For the study, the team tested a number of different antioxidant and anti-inflammatory interventions on mice that were exposed to ionizing radiation, assessing the effects the interventions had on the expression of genes linked to the breakdown of bone, as well as their effects on bone loss.
The interventions included a cocktail consisting of five different antioxidants (ascorbic acid, N-acetyl cysteine, L-selenomethionine, dihydrolipoic acid and vitamin E), dihydrolipoic acid, ibuprofen and dried plum.
The team found that dried plum was most effective for reducing expression of the genes Nfe2l2, Rankl, Mcp1, Opg and TNF-α, which are related to the breakdown of bone. Dried plum was also most effective for preventing later bone loss induced by ionizing radiation.
While the researchers are unable to explain the exact reasons why dried plums appear to protect bones from damage caused by ionizing radiation, they note that the fruit contains a number of polyphenols - including gallic acid, caffeoyl-quinic acids, coumaric acid and rutin - that have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.
In humans, bone loss can lead to osteoporosis - a disease in which the bones become more brittle, fragile and more vulnerable to breakage. It is estimated that osteoporosis is responsible for more than 8.9 million fractures worldwide each year.