According to the Center for Disease Control, 16% of American women 50 years and over have been diagnosed with osteoporosis of the femur neck or lumbar spine. In these recent studies, plant-sourced calcium and black tea flavonoids showed promise in supporting healthy bones in women. Find out more:

Plant-sourced calcium

Doctors expect women to lose bone mineral density (BMD) with age. In this study, doctors followed 202 women who had measured bone density by taking a bone density exam or a blood chemistry test, and who had taken a plant-sourced calcium and vitamin-mineral supplement over seven years.

Doctors found a significant, nearly linear annual increase in BMD of 1.04 percent per year, for a total of 7.3 percent increase in BMD over seven years. The supplement contained 720 mg of calcium, 72 mg of magnesium, 3 mg boron, 680 mg elemental strontium, 1,608 mg trace minerals, 50 mg vitamin C, and 1,600 IU vitamin D3.

Commenting on the findings, doctors said the results were the opposite of changes they would expect, and in direct contrast to observed decreases in BMD of 0.4 percent per year in a database covering 16,289 women. The results suggest plant-sourced calcium can significantly increase total body BMD in women.
Reference: Journal of the American College of Nutrition; February, 2016, Vol. 35, No. 2, 91-9

 Black tea flavonoids

In one of the few studies to follow women tea drinkers over time, doctors measured food and beverage frequency in 1,188 women and followed up for 10 years.

Compared to women who drank one cup of tea or less per week, women who drank three or more cups of tea per day were 30 percent less likely to have an osteoporotic bone fracture. Looking at total flavonoids from tea and diet, women who got the most flavonoids were 34 to 42 percent less likely to have any fracture, a major fracture, or hip fracture, compared to women who got the least flavonoids.
Reference: American Journal of Clinical Nutrition; October, 2015, Vol. 102, No. 4, 958-65

Betsy’s Note: This article is for educational purposes only. It is not intended to diagnose, treat, prevent or cure any disease. Consult your healthcare provider before taking a supplement, especially if you take medication or have a medical condition. For example, the supplements in this article also thin blood. Also, those with hypercalcimia may be told to avoid supplemental calcium and D3.

Article copyright 2016 by Natural Insights for Well Being. All rights reserved. Used with permission.