Vitamin C may have protective effects against osteoporosis, according to a new study on mice. The research involved two sets of mice to determine if vitamin C may help prevent bone loss. The first set of mice has had their ovaries removed, a laboratory ploy known to lower bone density, while the second set had “sham” ovary removal surgery, which did not decrease their bone density. One group was supplemented with large doses of vitamin C over a period of eight weeks, and the second non-supplemented group. The study team found those mice not receiving the vitamin C supplementation had a much lower bone mineral density (BMD). Furthermore, this study shows that large doses of vitamin C actively stimulate bone formation to protect the skeleton. Vitamin C could provide a natural method to maintain bone health without the use of expensive and dangerous pharmaceuticals in many aging adults at risk for osteoporosis.
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