We’ve all heard of the many health benefits of oranges and of other citrus fruits. But there’s a lot more to citrus than just Vitamin C…
A new study conducted by Texas A&M University and published in the journal Nutrition shows that the antioxidant effects of red grapefruit may increase bone density and slow down bone loss (Source: Grapefruit pulp increases antioxidant status and improves bone quality in orchidectomized rats. Nutrition, Volume 24, Issue 10, Pages 1039 – 1044 Farzad Deyhim et al).
The very promising conclusion was based on a sixty day study involving a total of fifty-six male rats. Forty-two rats were castrated to induce oxidative stress and lower testosterone levels so as to increase their risk of osteoporosis. One-third of the rats were then fed a regular diet, one-third were fed the same food plus five percent red grapefruit pulp, and the other third were fed the same diet plus ten percent red grapefruit pulp.
When compared to the unaltered rats, the castrated rats on a normal diet showed a substantial decrease in bone density, overall bone quality and antioxidant levels. They also lost more calcium and showed signs of bone breakdown markers in the urine. And while all the castrated rats showed a decrease in the magnesium and calcium levels in their bones, the decrease was not as severe among the rats fed the grapefruit pulp.
The altered rats not fed grapefruit pulp showed a 16%-24% percent reduction of the calcium and magnesium content in the lumbar spine. While the rats fed the grapefruit pulp had a decrease of only 10%-16%. Similar results were obtained for the hipbone density results of both groups.
I have eaten grapefruit for breakfast most days for the past 10-15yrs. It has not helped me.
I’ve never seen red grapefruit here in Melbourne, Australia.
Experiments with rats or other animals is against my beliefs – and anyway, how can one creatrure be compared to another?. They all have different reactions, including each and every human being.
Hi Vivian, that is good news about grapefruit. I have been eating this fruit all my life. I love it and will continue eating it.
I have a concern…I purchased your Save our bones program book on 10-20-10 by check. When do you think I will receive it?
Does the white grapefruit work as well? I have those in my yard. The rats in our neighborhood sure like them!!
Yes Peggy, white grapefruit is fine!
I have not heard of red grapefruit, but buy pink grapefruit pure juice, will that be just as good
Great to read about Grapefruit helping with our bones. Unfortunately I cannot eat them now or the juice which I always had before I was in Hospital last Nov with SVT my heart racing. I was perscribed a tablet verapmil 120mg one a day and cannot take grapefruit in any form.
Wish I could. Is there anything else like that to help please.
Hello Vivian
Thank you for this new wonder full information, i will make sure to eat three grape fruit per week. Is that enough?
Best wishes
Mina
Hi Vivian;
Red Grapefruit is very bad for those with kidney problems.
Grapefruit is not advisible if you take Statins, as I have to,to control high cholesterol.
I realy don’t like grapefruit but will give it another try. I take all natural blood pressure pills and will research to see if there is any problem with grapefruit. My dad had realy bad high blood pressure a few different meds to control it, and he ate 1/2 grapefruit every morning and never had a problem. Am trying to follow bone program as close as possible.It’s really a big change for me but I’m getting there.Vivian I look forward to your e-mails, keep them coming.
Hello Vivian: To your knowledge have bone density tests ever been inaccurate? The reason I ask is the day that I took a bone density scan (2 years ago, at the age of 58), the operator of the scan kept stopping the scan and saying that it was jamming up or something of that nature. When we received the results my doctor as well as myself was surprized that my levels were high enough to diagnose me with osteoporsis. I have been doing nutrition for years, and have been an avid workout person, from weight lifting to kick boxing. I was prescribed Bonavia, but had serious gastric problems while taking it, so am now taking 1,000 m of Vitamin D daily, exercising with weight lifting twice a week, reading your information and trying to eat the correct foods, and just basically hoping for the best.
I am tired of everyone telling me to have grapefruit or all these soy products. I cannot have either due to my meds. Please come up with some alternatives. Thanks.
Very interesting article about Grapefruit being a deterrent for bone loss. I take generic of Synthroid for thyroid issues and have been told that grapefruit interacts with the medication. Would be wonderful if this were not so and I might add grapefruit to my list of favored fruits and veggies!
I never knew that info thank you for putting that into the comments.
Notmuch help to me i’m afraid. I take Warfarin and am not allowed to eat grapefruit
Grapefruit pith actually contains “good” calcium and will also get rid of “foreign/chemical” calcium. Easy to take if juiced with the fruit part (I remove the waxy peel with a potato knife).
i have osteoporosis and in alot of pain i was giving foramax but never took it i take calcium, vit D, but now i have been told my good chelesterol is abit high i never had any bother with my chelesterol before any advise could it be the calcium or any other meds
The problem with grapefruit is its tendency to interact with many medications to reduce or increase their effects in the body. The list of medicines affected by grapefruit or its juice continues to grow. I do, however, like the idea of eating red grapefruit.
just curious. I noticed that ‘raw’ milk is alkaline. Is is OK to drink a glass of raw milk with some organic dark cocoa (Fair Trade) and honey to sweeten it? I get raw milk from Amish farms in PA.
YOU SAY THAT RED GRAPEFRUIT IS GOOD FOR YOU HOW ABOUT PEOPLE TAKING BLOOD PRESSURE PILLS?. It was said that you should stay away from grapefruit
I have seen a connection between joint replacement, and other bone reinforcement metal implant therapies, with the development of osteoporosis.
In trying to understand this. I wonder if these
“surgical” metals eventually leach out, causing
an oxidative effect. There could be a chronic draw on calcium stores needed for buffering the resulting acidic effects of oxidation.
What do you think? Could these special metals leach out and be released in the body? If so, I guess you might expect accumulative effects.
Hi Vivian- I informed my obgyn that I wanted to go off my Fosamax and informed her of the information I was reading about our bones. Even though my bone density showed some improvement it took 5 yrs of being on 3 different drugs. I said if a drug is suppose to work,why would it take sooo long. She agreed with me & I will continue my excercising,take my vitamins (the ones that are nourishing my bones)increased my vitamin D from 1000 to1800mgs.Calcium-1160mgs. along with vitamin c-500mgs. which I haven’t taken before. Thank you for your inportant message on our bones! sincerely Karen
Great information
One problem with grapefruit is that many medications are affected by it, i.e. blood pressure meds. Being osteoporosis is an aging disease and blood pressure issues can come with aging, grapefuit needs to be judiciously.
Hi Vivian,
I love grapefruit in all its forms and colours, I have, however, not eaten any for approximately one year as I was put on 10 mg ‘Lipitor’ by my GP as a preventative measure for high Cholesterol. I would love to receive your thoughts on this, please.
Thank you for the wonderful information you give your readers, I find it most interesting and useful…it make sense! Many thanks.
Regards.
Sadly many of us are on some medication which can not be mixed with grapefruit, no matter how much we love it or how much good it would do us!
Thank you Lydian B for your fantastic comments and yes you are the brightest! You are one of the few who has noticed and questioned the use of rats to prove something in humans. This is what a true scientist does, questions things. Very few seem to do this. I agree, lets test out our theories on humans, us, then we can get accurate results.
Its worth considering that rats might have been put on the planet to be test specimens.
I take a number of medications (unrelated to bone loss). I have read grapefruit interfere with some medications. I am not sure what to believe.
may I use this for my clients
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Please cancel mysecond comment. My last name spells Shammas
thank you for telling me about grapefruit, But, I am taking blood pressure pills which I am not suppose to have grapefruit. Because grapefruit lower the blood pressure. I have asked an PHD plus nutritionist in one person: why I should not have grapefruit? He answered: it lower the blood pressure. So I asked: in this case I should not take the medicine, He did not answer. ofcourse, this is the secret of his job.
Vivian , are cholestrol drugs the only one’s that are not supposed to be taken with Grapefruit. I have stopped taking my Lovastatan and started eating Flax seed instead, i put it on my cereals , smoothies, and many other foods , i have to have a blood test to see if its working , Fish oil Pills are to big and every now and then you get an awful fish taste in your mouth and i’m so sick of pills.
Susan
Great observation!!!! I’m not sure the grapefruit lowers blood pressure but I’ve heard it lowers the effectiveness of some meds (thyroid meds also)
Debb
Hi Vivian, It strikes me that there are very insidious things going on with the drug makers, regarding all of the drugs which tell you not to take grapefruit? which just happens to be so beneficial to health. Are a lot of compounds made deliberately so that anything which benefits the body cannot be taken? You only have to check the list of No No No’s! with not just one drug but a few ao that if anyone takes any of these(talk about hedging your bets) they can expect a further deterioration in their health almost inevitably! Then they have to go for more drugs. Talk about the business of health, more like the business of disease!
I’ve heard that grapefruit reduces the effectiveness of those meds you are not supposed to take them with. But I also recently saw somewhere where it actually improves the effectiveness of some, which is why some people on fixed income have been told to split their pills and take it with grapefruit… can’t find anything definitive though.
I will try grapefruit. Anything to help bone loss,(my problem) and a pinched nerve in my neck.
Any help you can advise me on, I would appreciate very much.
Thank you.
For pinched nerves and inpacted nerve roots I have found that Alexander Technique has been so helpful. I have a wonderful teacher, Sue, in Oxford, UK. Two months ago I was screaming in pain and eventually tried AT (and also finally accepted I needed morphine while I waited for surgery).I was unable to sit or lie in bed, I could only kneel to find any brief relief. I could only stand or walk a few steps with a four legged stick. Now I am standing upright again and walking quite well. I can sleep again in my bed. I have cut the morphine to quarter the original dose. I do not have any osteoarthritis now as I cut all dairy from my diet 7 years ago. The xrays showed all clear within 18 months.
I love red grapefruit and like the other comments enjoy reading their stories. I have learned a lot from your e-mails and look forward to hearing from you. Do you have a cook book out? I love the recipes that you attach with your mail. When is the best time to take vitamins?
Hi Alice,
I’m actually in the process of writing a cookbook as we speak. You can look forward to a bounty of yummy and bone-supporting recipes within the next few months. In the meantime, keep an eye out for more recipes on the site. I’ll be writing more articles about specific Foundation Foods and including a recipe with each article.
Look forward to this (I am vegetarian!?)
I love grapefruit, read one commit she was on Lipitor and adviced by doctor not safe, I’m on Lipitor also, and not knowing it wasn’t safe need to check w my doctor. I live in Houston, Texs and we always have red
grapefruits. Thanks for your great info. Bea Guzman
Thanks for this interesting article, Vivien
I try to eat pink grapefruit every day, following receipt of your book and its advice on foods. Just had a bone density scan after asking to come off osteo drugs, and only wish I had been on your programme for a longer period to achieve results, as I visualise an argument with my doctor if my scan shows a worsening of my osteoporosis.
Jean
Can you let us know the results of your scan? Think positive!!
Excellent information. Will surely be taking
Grapefruit from now on.
I love grapefruit, only one problem, I am taking Lipitor for high cholesterol and have been warned by my Doctor not to eat grapefruit.
You should definitely follow your doctor’s advice, Beverly. There are many other healthy, bone supporting foods to choose from. Just enjoy the foods you CAN eat!
Hi Vivian
Red grapefruit harder to find than the yellow.
Must it be red to benefit the bones?
Cheers!
phil
My 93 year old mother was put on Alendronate – 70 mg. per week and Calcitonin nasal spray – 200 IU daily over the past 4 months. Should we take her off these and follow the Save our bones program? She lives in a nursing home so am not sure how much control I’ll have over her diet. Any suggestions?
Vivian, I THINK It’s GREAT! And I LOVE RED GRAPEFRUIT. And I’ll START EATING MORE AS WELL.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH For The Info.
Thanks for your book it is very helpful, and I do enjoy eating grapefruits.
I haven’t seen a red grapefruit in Australia
Perhaps this is what is called blood grapefruit in Australia. This is sold in most supermarkets.
will I buy a Red Grapefruit from in Australia
I take simvastatin so don’t eat grapefruit. I do eat dried apricots, cherries & cranberries in my oatmeal every day. Am thinking about asking my doctor if I can stop the simvastatin.
I love your articles.
Well thank you, I do enjoy a red grapefruit, but have got out the way of eating them, but they will be in my shopping basket from now on .
I take ‘statin’s so I c annot eat grapefruit!!
I am wondering if this applies as well to grapefruit pectin or is the pectin primarily a fiber source?
I found your information very informative I will start eating Red Grape Fruit as soon as possible. Thank you for the detailed information.
Merle Rossow
Vivian,
Thank you unfortunately I am taking Adalat for BP and am warned of grapefruit.
Is the 80-20 ratio required at every meal or over the period of a day?
Since I have bought your book, I have been eating a red grapefruit for breakfast every morning. However, is one enough or should I eat one for lunch also?
I am just starting this (May 1) and am glad the program has worked; however, can you never eat a hamburg and fries again? Also, I am curious what the results are after a few years. Does bone loss still reverse?