Lycopene Improves Bone Health in Women

by | Mar 9, 2009 | 2009, Bone Health, Lycopene, Women's Health - Bone Health

Written by Greg Arnold, DC, CSCS. The Farmington Osteoporosis Study found that women who took more than 10,401 micrograms of lycopene per day had a 10% higher bone density compared to those with the lowest lycopene intake of 3467 micrograms per day.

Osteoporosis is “a major public health threat” that costs our healthcare system $18 billion per year, affects 10 million Americans, with another 34 million at risk (1).

In a recent study, researchers analyzed data from the Framingham Osteoporosis Study (2) with 334 men and 540 women. The study participants, who had an average age of 75 years, completed a 126-item food frequency questionnaire (3) and were measured for bone density in the thigh/hip, low back, and arm.

The researchers found that among women, those with the highest intakes of lycopene (more than 10,401 micrograms per day) had 10% higher bone density at the hip, compared to those with the lowest intake (less than 3467 micrograms per day). After a 4-year follow-up, those with the lowest lycopene intake (less than 4622) had a 75% greater decrease in hip bone density (-0.013 vs. -0.042 g/cm2) compared to those with the highest intakes (more than 9245 micrograms per day). No benefits of lycopene intake and bone density were seen in men and no other carotenoids produced significant differences in bone density.

For the researchers, “These results suggest a possible protective effect of carotenoids, particularly of lycopene, against bone loss in older adult.

Source: Sahni, Shivani, et al. “Inverse association of carotenoid intakes with 4-y change in bone mineral density in elderly men and women: the Framingham Osteoporosis Study.” The American journal of clinical nutrition 89.1 (2009): 416-424.

© 2009 American Society for Nutrition

Posted March 9, 2009.

References:

  1. “Fast Facts” posted on the National Osteoprosis Foundation Website.
  2. Dawber, TR, Meadors, GF & Moore, FE, Jr. Epidemiological approaches to heart disease: the Framingham Study. Am J Public Health 1951;41:279–81.
  3. Rimm, EB, Giovannucci, EL, Stampfer, MJ, Colditz, GA, Litin, LB & Willett, WC. Reproducibility and validity of an expanded self-administered semiquantitative food frequency questionnaire among male health professionals. Am J Epidemiol 1992;135:1114–26 (discussion 1127–36).