Strengths and limitations
osteoporosis, hormesis, bone loss
OSTEOPOROSIS, BONE LOSS
Strengths of this paper include an agreement in the hormesis effect of BB with an animal model of postmenopausal women and a clinical study of postmenopausal women, the continued monitoring of a highly sensitive measure of bone balance, and mechanistic measures of polyphenol metabolites and gut microbiome profiles. The crossover design minimizes the potential confounding of the effect of BB on bone. Limitations include the use of a small convenience sample that lacked racial diversity and representation of the general population, thus, limiting the generalizability of the results. The long-term effects of BB consumption at different doses remain to be elucidated among postmenopausal women.In conclusion, daily consumption of foods containing freeze-dried BB powder in the amount equivalent to 0.75 and 1.5 cups of blueberries, but not 3 cups, increased net bone calcium retention, indicative of a hormetic response and/or a possible negative gut microbiome-polyphenol interaction at higher doses. The effectiveness of a serving of blueberries in attenuating bone loss in healthy postmenopausal women demonstrates that a relatively short and accessible dietary intervention may prevent or delay bone loss without the side effects of conventional pharmacologic therapies. This practical dietary approach with food that already has a health connotation for consumers is likely to be well received by the public seeking osteoporosis prevention strategies.