News:Nutrients in fruits and vegetables

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Tuesday January 4 12:05 PM ET <br><br>Nutrients

in fruit and vegetables linked to bone

health<br><br>NEW YORK, Jan 04 (Reuters Health) -- It's not just

calcium anymore: Researchers say substances found in

fruit and vegetables, such as zinc, magnesium,

potassium, fiber and vitamin C, can keep middle-aged women's

bones strong and fracture free.<br><br>The findings

``suggest a link between fruit and vegetable consumption

and bone health,'' according to investigators led by

Dr. Susan A. New of the University of Surrey in

Guildford, UK. Their findings are published in the January

issue of the American Journal of Clinical

Nutrition.<br><br>The authors point out that most studies on nutrition

and bone health have focused on calcium intake ``and

paid less attention to (the role of) other

micronutrients.''<br><br>As part of their research, New's team had 62 healthy

Scottish women, aged 45 to 55 years, fill out detailed

dietary questionnaires. Each of the women also underwent

bone scanning to determine their respective bone

density levels.<br><br>The result? According to the

researchers, ``intakes of nutrients found in abundance in

fruits and vegetables -- namely, potassium,

beta-carotene, vitamin C, and magnesium -- were positively

associated with bone health.''<br><br>Potassium appears to

slow the excretion of calcium from the body while

increasing rates of bone formation, the authors explain.

Vitamin C appears to aid in bone formation, as well,

while ``magnesium is extremely important in skeletal

metabolism.'' In fact, recent studies suggest that magnesium

deficiency may contribute to osteoporosis.<br><br>Based on

their findings, New and colleagues say further study of

the role of micronutrients in bone health ``are

warranted.'' SOURCE: American Journal of Clinical Nutrition

2000;71:142-151.