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Antioxidants may protect against knee arthritis
20-Jul-2007
Reuters
People who have plenty of foods with antioxidants in their diets may be
protecting themselves from bone changes associated with knee arthritis,
according to a new study.
Australian researchers found that middle-aged adults with higher
dietary levels of vitamin C were less likely to develop certain bone
abnormalities that contribute to knee arthritis.
The findings "highlight the potential of diet to modify the risk of
osteoarthritis," they report in the online journal Arthritis Research
& Therapy. Dr. Yuanyuan Wang of Monash University in Melbourne led
the research.
The subjects were 293 men and women who were middle-aged, healthy and
free of knee pain at the start of the study. At that time, they
completed detailed questionnaires on their diets; 10 years later, their
knee tissue was examined using MRI scans. All of the nutrients were
obtained through food, rather than from supplements.
In general, Wang's team found, the higher a person's dietary levels of
vitamin C at the start of the study, the lower the risk of certain bone
changes 10 years on. The same was true when the researchers looked at
overall consumption of fruit, a prime source of vitamin C.
Certain carotenoids, such as the lutein and zeaxanthin found in green
vegetables, were also related to a lower risk of cartilage defects in
the knee.
Antioxidants protect cells throughout the body from
accumulating oxidative damage, which has been shown to play a role in
osteoarthritis. Some research has shown the vitamin C boosts bone
density, which may explain the benefits seen in this study, the
researchers note.
According to experts, the best way to get the full
gamut of antioxidants in your diet is to eat a variety of fruits and
vegetables every day.
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