Osteoporosis, characterized by low bone mineral density, causes brittle bones susceptible to breakage. Odds of developing osteoporosis skyrocket with advancing age – with women disproportionately affected. About 30 percent of postmenopausal women in the United States are affected by osteoporosis, and – according to the International Osteoporosis Foundation – roughly one in three women over age 50 will experience a bone fracture due to the condition. (For men over 50, the odds of an osteoporosis-related fracture are one out of five).
Unfortunately, pharmaceutical therapies for osteoporosis can feature horrific side effects, including jaw osteonecrosis, thromboembolisms, increased cancer risk, and – ironically – bone fractures. This has led to an urgent search for effective natural interventions. And, there’s good news on that front. New research suggests that lycopene, the antioxidant plant pigment responsible for the ruby-red coloration of tomatoes, may help to stop the progression of osteoporosis in its tracks.
