A juicy possibility for strengthening bones
"A grapefruit a day keeps the doctor away." Perhaps it doesn't have the same ring as the apple maxim—but it does have the ring of truth.
A new study using lab animals showed that the pulp of red grapefruit improved bone health and lowered the risk of developing osteoporosis. Specifically, the consumption of red grapefruit pulp led to a slowdown in bone resorption, when minerals are released and calcium is transferred from bone fluid to the blood, and an increase in bone mineral buildup and calcium absorption. .
If these findings translate to humans, you can put red grapefruit pulp alongside calcium and vitamin D as substances that strengthen bones. (Grapefruit, especially the red variety, also appears to lower cholesterol and fight heart disease.)
Traditionally, attempts to strengthen bone have consisted of either boosting bone density in high-risk postmenopausal women by improved diet or supplements, or by maximizing the buildup of bone during the prepubescent years (adolescents and teenagers need more calcium because more than a third of the skeletal mass is formed during puberty).
I also told you recently about how some doctors attempt to strengthen bones using bone drugs — specifically bisphosphonates. Some patients who have been taking bisphosphonates for extended periods find that their thighbone snaps without evident trauma.
Making lifestyle or diet changes to increase bone strength sure beats having your femur shatter from taking bone drugs. But as I recommend to my patients, the best way to avoid a broken bone is by not falling. To improve your balance and help prevent spills, try strength training, yoga or Tai Chi. And you can still slice open a grapefruit every day.
