The efficacy of tart cherry supplementation in the prevention of age‐related bone loss in C57BL/6 mice

Abstract

Osteoporosis continues to be a major health problem and new prevention strategies are needed. This study examined the efficacy of dietary supplementation with tart cherry on age‐related bone loss in female (5 mo) C57BL/6 mice (n=44) assigned to a baseline group or groups receiving 0, 1, 5, or 10% cherry for 90 d. Mice were weighed weekly and bone density and trabecular and cortical bone microarchitecture were assessed at the end of the study. No difference in body weight due to treatment was observed. The groups receiving the 5 and 10% cherry diet had higher (P<0.05) whole body and tibia bone density than the control and baseline groups. The age‐related decrease in trabecular bone volume of the distal femur metaphysis was prevented with cherry supplementation (5 and 10%). In these two treatment groups vertebral trabecular volume and cortical area and thickness of the femoral mid‐diaphysis was increased (P<0.05) compared to the control and baseline cohorts. These findings suggest that tart cherry not only prevented age‐related bone loss, but increased cortical and vertebral trabecular bone above that of baseline which is consistent with an anabolic response.Grant Funding Source: Cherry Marketing Institute