Onions May Fight Osteoporosis

Compound within decreases bone loss in rat cells
Betterhumans Staff


While it might not further your social life, eating onions could help you fight osteoporosis.

Researchers at the University of Bern in Switzerland have found that a compound in onions fights bone loss in laboratory studies using rat bone cells.

The researchers analyzed the active chemical components of white onions and found a peptide called GPCS most likely responsible for the protective effect.

To test the peptide's effects, the researchers exposed bone cells from newborn rats to parathyroid hormone to stimulate bone loss.

They then exposed some of the cells to GPCS.

The treatment significantly inhibited loss of bone minerals, including calcium, compared to cells not exposed to GPCS.

Additional studies are needed to help determine whether GPCS has a similar effect in people, how much onion or peptide would be needed for a protective effect and how, exactly, GPCS works on bone cells, the researchers say.

The research is published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry.

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