Resveratrol supports bone mineral density in postmenopausal women, says RESHAW study

Photo © iStockphoto.com/Jacob Wackerhausen

The second of a series of publications from the RESHAW clinical trial on consumption of Veri-te resveratrol (Evolva; Reinach, Switzerland) by 125 postmenopausal women was published in the Journal of Bone and Mineral Research¹. The previous publication found that the branded resveratrol product supported cognitive health in postmenopausal women. The newly published findings show that resveratrol supplementation supports bone mineral density in postmenopausal women.

In the double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover design, 125 post-menopausal women were assigned to either receive 75 mg of resveratrol or placebo twice daily for 12 months, then switched interventions for the next 12 months. Results showed that compared to placebo, supplementation positively affected bone density in the lumbar spine and femoral neck, and was accompanied by a 7.24% reduction in the levels of bone resorption marker C‐terminal telopeptide type‐1 collagen. The lumbar spine and femoral neck are common fracture sites in postmenopausal women. Additionally, the magnitude of improvement was higher in women with poor bone health biomarker status. Subanalysis revealed that the bone protective benefits of resveratrol were greater in participants who also supplemented with vitamin D and calcium.

The results of the study can be attributed to resveratrol being a potent antioxidant and vasoactive compound. “The RESHAW study brings the science-based evidence supporting that resveratrol supplementation can improve bone health by simultaneously improving microvascular perfusion,” explained David Tetzlaf, director of marketing for Evolva, to Nutritional Outlook. “For instance, Professor Peter Howe and the research team observed a correlation between the resveratrol-induced improvements in femoral neck T-score and cerebrovascular responsiveness, which provides a general indication of the ability of microvasculature to deliver blood to tissues. The research team also pointed out that impaired blood flow to the lower extremities is associated with decreased bone mineral density of the hip and ankle.”

The potential quality-of-life improvements for aging women can be substantial, by reducing the risk of hip fractures, for example. “As life expectancy continues to increase, health-adjusted life expectancy is falling behind, particularly in women, who are at heightened health risk post-menopause. With the decline in estrogen levels, menopause can undermine quality of life and increase a woman’s risk of developing hypertension, osteoporosis, and dementia,” said Tetzlaf. “It is documented that decreasing bone mass leads to osteoporosis and is estimated that by 2050, 680 million women will be affected, according to Grand View Research. Very few clinical studies have investigated the effects of resveratrol supplementation on bone mineral density, and in fact, none of them had duration longer than six months.”

The RESHAW data shows that resveratrol supplementation reduced the annual rate of decline in femoral neck bone mineral density to 0.34% from 0.96% said Tetzlaf. In fact, the study found a correlation between the increase in bone mineral density of the femoral neck and a reduction in the 10-year probability of major and hip fracture risk.

Reference

1. Wong RHX et al. “Regular supplementation with resveratrol improves bone mineral density in postmenopausal women: a randomized, placebo‐controlled trial.” Journal of Bone and Mineral Research, Published ahead of print on June, 21, 2020