A team of Penn State researchers found that plant-based omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) may have a protective effect on bone health.

In the diet, most omega-3 fatty acids are normally from plants - mainly from soybean and canola oil or flaxseed and flaxseed oil or walnuts and walnut oil - and small amounts from marine sources: fish and algae.

While previous studies of omega-3s in bone health used oil supplements, this Penn State study is a first of its kind that used whole food sources.

The biomarker for bone resorption - N-telopeptides - decreased significantly during the alpha linolenic acid (ALA) diet and marginally during the linoleic acid (LA) diet compared to the average American diet while levels of bone-specific alkaline phosphatases (a measure of bone building) were unaffected by the diets.

The results: less bone being resorbed while same amount of bone is being created, indicates a positive balance for bone health (as explained by Dr. Corwin).

According to Dr. Rebecca Corwin, associate professor of nutrition:

"The unique thing about this study is that we know exactly what the participants ate because we closely controlled their food. These people are really dedicated to spend a total of 24 weeks in the study with 18 weeks eating only what was supplied to them."

Study results have been reported in a recent issue of Nutrition Journal.

Find more details from the full report.

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