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Onion Consumption and Bone Density in Older Women: Abstract

Osteoporosis has emerged as a major public health concern during the past few decades as the population of older Americans has rapidly expanded. Each
year, Americans experience more than 1.5 million fractures due to osteoporosis, resulting in more than 500,000 hospitalizations with a direct cost of more than 20 billion dollars.1

Enormous strides have been made in treating osteoporosis with medication classes such as the bisphosphonates, synthetic estrogens, calcitonin, and, most recently, parathyroid hormone derivatives.2 Although these are excellent medications for treatment of osteoporosis, no current medications are approved by the Food and Drug Administration for the prevention of osteoporosis.

For years, calcium plus vitamin D supplementation and exercise have been the mainstays of preventive therapy, but studies have indicated only marginal improvement in slowing of bone loss.3<8 Recent laboratory experiments have examined the possible role of plant-derived compounds known as phytochemicals in bone remodeling. Conceptually, the idea is that certain phytochemicals increase the rate of bone deposition by osteoblasts and decrease the rate of bone breakdown by osteoclasts.

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Pat Elliott

Osteoporosis Guide