Turmeric helps build and repair bone mass in elderly people, a new study reveals.
Researchers have found that taking a supplement of the popular spice improves bone density by up to 7% over six months, reported The Daily Mail. A It contains a compound known as curcumin which is thought to balance out cells that remove ageing bone parts before they are replaced, according to previous findings.
Almost three quarters of the elderly suffer from declining bone density, which can cause osteoporosis and is responsible for around 65,000 potentially fatal fractures each year in the UK.
Researchers from Genoa University analysed healthy men and women with an average age of 70 who were all suffering declining bone density. The bones in their heels, jaws and fingers were measured at the start of the study using ultrasound scanning.
After six months, participants taking a daily supplement of turmeric and soy lecithin had increased their bone density by 7%. Combining the spice with soy lecithin is thought to prevent it from being destroyed by the stomach, so it reaches the small intestine where it is absorbed.
Bone mineral density is maintained through an appropriate balance of bone-building cells, known as osteoclasts, which ‘mop up’ ageing cells that need replacing. In older people, osteoclast activity may outweigh the rate of bone replacement.
Previous studies have proved curcumin has bone-building properties. Stefano Togni, scientific spokesman for Indena, which researches plant-based treatments, said, “Our [previous] work suggests curcumin dampens down the rate of bone resorption.”
Although the study’s results are promising, experts warn the effect is unlikely to occur if you eat turmeric in its powder form, as this is less easily absorbed. Nonetheless, they come as good news for those advised to take bisphosphonate drugs, which maintain bone density by reducing the rate of cell breakdown, researchers said.
Recent research has suggested that using these drugs long term may cause bone ‘microcracks’.