Nutritional supplements that increase the alkaline content of a persons diet can increase the strength of their bones, according to the results of a new study.
Findings published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism reveal that an alkaline diet can help prevent bone loss in older people and prevent fractures.
Dr. Bess Dawson-Hughes of Tufts University explained that the diets of older adults are often acidic.
When faced with an acidic diet, the body may break down bones to release funerals such as calcium, phosphates and alkaline salts into the bloodstream to counteract the effect. This is known as bone resorption.
However, the team found that when study participants consumed nutritional supplements containing bicarbonate, their level of bone resorption decreased.
“In this study, we demonstrated that adding alkali in pill form reduced bone resorption and reduced the losses of calcium in the urine over a three-month period,” commented Dawson-Hughes.
Diets that are rich in fruits and vegetables were also found to strengthen the health of the skeleton, because when they are metabolized, bicarbonate is produced.
Alkaline diets generally consist mainly of fruit, vegetables, roots, tubers, nuts and legumes.