Xu, J., K. Pu, W. Sun, C. Pang, D. Li, S. Zang, 2025. Association of nut consumption and sarcopenia in Chinese older adults. Sci Rep. 15, 17598. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-02389-x
Sarcopenia emerges as a predominant health concern among the older adults, it makes the identification of relational factors crucial. Nut, a universally consumed dietary component, is posited to confer benefits to the musculoskeletal system. This study aimed to elucidate the association between nut consumption and sarcopenia in Chinese older adults. Data concerning nut consumption and sarcopenia were sourced from the 2018 wave of the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey (CLHLS). The analysis incorporated 14,281 participants furnishing valid responses. This research employed logistic regression to investigate the association between nut consumption and sarcopenia. A total of 14,181 older adults (mean age = 84.86 ± 11.47 years and 55.08% were female) were included in this study. This study found an inverse association between nut consumption and sarcopenia in Chinese older adults, with higher nut consumption associated with a lower prevalence of sarcopenia, even after controlling for confounders. Compared with the nut consumption group of occasionally/rarely or never, the adjusted ORs of sarcopenia for at least once per month, at least once per week, and almost every day were 0.78 (95% CI: 0.66, 0.91), 0.81 (95% CI: 0.69, 0.95), and 0.62 (95% CI: 0.51, 0.77), respectively. Moreover, the result also displayed there is a significant interaction of nut consumption with gender (P-value = 0.016). This study identified an inverse association between nut consumption and sarcopenia. Introducing nut into the dietary regimen might present an accessible approach to bolster musculoskeletal health among the older adults.
Oliver-Pons, C., A. Sala-Vila, M. Cofán, M. Serra-Mir, I. Roth, C. Valls-Pedret, M. Domènech, E. Ortega, S. Rajaram, J. Sabaté, E. Ros, G. Chiva-Blanch, 2024. Effects of walnut consumption for 2 years on older adults’ bone health in the Walnuts and Healthy Aging (WAHA) trial. J Am Geriatr Soc. 72(8):2471-2482. https://doi.org/10.1111/jgs.19007
Background: Nutritional strategies to maintain bone health in aging individuals are of great interest. Given the beneficial nutrient composition of walnuts, rich in alpha-linolenic (the vegetable n-3 fatty acid) and polyphenols, their regular consumption might be a dietary option to reduce age-related bone loss. We determined whether daily walnut consumption improves bone mineral density (BMD) and circulating biomarkers of bone turnover. Methods: The Walnuts and Healthy Aging study (WAHA) is a two-center, parallel, randomized controlled trial evaluating the effect of a diet enriched with walnuts at ≈15% energy compared with a control diet for 2 years on age-related health outcomes in healthy men and women aged 63–79 years. Changes in BMD were a prespecified secondary outcome only at the Barcelona node of the trial, where 352 participants were randomized. Retention rate was 92.6%. Primary endpoints were 2-year changes in BMD at the spine and the nondominant femoral neck, determined by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). Secondary endpoints were 2-year changes in bone turnover biomarkers (adrenocorticotropic hormone, Dickkopf WNT signaling pathway inhibitor-1, osteoprotegerin, osteocalcin, osteopontin, sclerostin, parathyroid hormone, and fibroblast growth factor-23), which were quantified in 211 randomly selected participants. Results: The walnut diet versus the control diet had no effect on 2-year changes in BMD at the spine (0.15% vs. 0.35%, p = 0.632) and femoral neck (−0.90% vs. −0.70%, p = 0.653), or on bone turnover biomarkers. Results were similar in participants treated or not with bone resorption inhibitors or those with or without osteoporosis/osteopenia at inclusion. Conclusions: Compared with the usual diet, a diet enriched with walnuts at 15% of energy for 2 years failed to improve BMD or circulating markers of bone metabolism in healthy older people.
Platt, I.D., A.R. Jossea, C.W.C. Kendall, D.J.A. Jenkins, A. El-Sohemya, 2011. Postprandial effects of almond consumption on human osteoclast precursors—an ex vivo study. Metabolism Clinical and Experimental. 60: 923–929.
Consumption of almonds has been associated with increased bone mineral density, but the direct effects of almonds on bone cells are not known. We determined whether serum obtained following the consumption of a meal containing 60 g of almonds affects human osteoclast formation, function, and gene expression in vitro. Human osteoclast precursors were cultured in medium containing 10% serum obtained from 14 healthy subjects at baseline and 4 hours following the consumption of 3 test meals containing almonds, potatoes, and rice and balanced for macronutrient composition. Osteoclast formation was determined by the number of tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP)+ multinucleated cells, and osteoclast function was assessed by measuring TRAP activity in the culture medium and calcium released from OsteoAssay (Lonza Walkersville, Walkersville, MD, USA) plates. The expression of cathepsin K, receptor activator of nuclear factor kB, and matrix metalloproteinase–9 genes was measured by real-time reverse transcriptase–polymerase chain reaction. Compared with serum obtained at baseline, serum obtained 4 hours following the consumption of the almond meal reduced osteoclast formation by approximately 20%, TRAP activity by approximately 15%, calcium release by approximately 65%, and the expression of cathepsin K, receptor activator of nuclear factor kB, and matrix metalloproteinase–9 by 13% to 23%. No effects were observed with serum obtained from the other test meals. Serum obtained 4 hours following the consumption of an almond meal inhibits osteoclast formation, function, and gene expression in cultured human osteoclast precursors, and provides evidence for a positive effect of almonds on bone health.
Bullo´, M., P. Amigo-Correig, F. Marquez-Sandoval, N. Babio, M.A. Martinez-Gonzalez, R. Estruch, J. Basora, R. Sola`, J. Salas-Salvado´, 2009. Mediterranean diet and high dietary acid load associated with mixed nuts: effect on bone metabolism in elderly subjects. J Am Geriatr Soc. 57:1789–1798.
Objectives: To analyze the effect of differing diet on the acid load content on bone metabolism. Design: Multicentric, randomized, single-blind, parallel-group clinical trial. Setting: Outpatient clinics. Participants: Two hundred thirty-eight elderly men and women aged 60 to 80 at high risk for cardiovascular disease were randomly assigned to three interventional groups: a recommended low-fat diet (control diet group), a Mediterranean diet supplemented with virgin olive oil, or a Mediterranean diet supplemented with mixed nuts. Measurements: Main outcomes were 12-month changes from baseline in bone formation and resorption markers and bone mass measured according to quantitative ultrasound scanning. Results: The baseline data on the anthropometric, bone densitometry, and biochemical variables did not differ between the three groups. Dietary potential renal acid load (PRAL) and daily net endogenous acid production (NEAP) at baseline did not differ between groups. After intervention, subjects allocated to the Mediterranean diet with mixed nuts had a significant increase of PRAL and NEAP. In comparison, subjects in the Mediterranean diet with nuts group had higher parathyroid hormone (PTH) levels (2.63, 95% confidence interval (CI) = -1.01–6.35, P=.02) and a nonsignificantly higher (0.31, 95% CI = -0.13–0.74, P=.14) urine free deoxypyridoxine:creatinine ratio, a marker of bone resorption, than the control group and the Mediterranean diet with virgin olive oil group. Conclusion: A Mediterranean dietary pattern associated with a high dietary acid load derived from consumption of mixed nuts does not seem to have a much greater effect on bone metabolism biomarkers, with the exception of PTH levels, than a Mediterranean diet without mixed nuts or a control diet in elderly subjects.
