Women taking a Chinese herb known as horny Goatweed may end up having a better bone mineral density at the hip and lower back, according to a new Chinese study published in the July 2007 issue of the Journal of Bone and Mineral Research.
The study found after a two-year supplementation of flavonoids derived from the Chinese herb Epimedium (EPF), women increased their BMD by more than 1.5 percent while those on a placebo decreased a similar magnitude of bone mineral density.
Horny Goatweed has commonly used as aphrodisiacs in Chinese Medicine to boost men's sexual health for ages.
In the randomized, double-blind, placebo-control clinical trial, Ge Zhang and colleagues from the Chinese University of Hong Kong and the Shanghai University of Chinese Medicine assigned 85 healthy late postmenopausal women either a dose of EPF composed of 60 mg icariin, 15 mg daidzein, and 3 mg genistein or a placebo daily for 12 months.
All women received 300 mg calcium daily.
At the end of the trial, women who had been on the EPF supplement had their BMD at the hip and lower spine increased by 1.6 and 1.3 percent, respectively while those on the placebo reduced their BMD by 1.8 and 2.4 percent respectively.
"The difference in lumbar spine between the two groups was significant at both 12 and 24 months, whereas the difference in the femoral neck was marginal at 12 months and significant at 24 months," the researchers wrote in their report.
The effect of the EPF was similar to that of soy isoflavones, another group of phytoestrogens, according to the study.
A recent trial showed that supplementation of 90 mg of soy isoflavones daily may improve bone mineral density. The results were published in European Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
A similar trial on soy isoflavones published in 2005 in the Archives of Internal Medicine also showed high soy consumption was associated with a 48 reduction in risk of fractures in women who had passed menopause for less than 10 years.
The researchers did not observe any side effects on endometrial thickness in either group and the herb supplement does not seem to have a damaging effect on the uterus, which was thought possible initially.
.
Copyright 2007 foodconsumer.org.
All right reserved. This article can be used by individuals and organizations for non-commercial use without prior express permission from foodconsumer.org on condition that this article including the author ane this copyright note should be used in entirety without alteration.
