but according to new research, it could also be good for your bones.
As reported by Science Daily, a researcher from Mexico has found that the plant used to make tequila contains substances capable of improving absorption of calcium and magnesium
Both minerals essentials to maintaining bone health.
In the study, which was conducted by the Center for Research and Advanced Studies in Mexico, mice who ingested fructans from blue agave produced nearly 50 per cent more osteocalcin – a protein that indicates the production of new bone – than mice who did not.
What’s more, the diameter of their bones proved to be higher after eight weeks of ingestion.
Project leader Dr Mercedes Lopez says these effects are down to an interaction between the fructans and bacteria in the intestines which allow sugar molecules to capture nutrients and help transport them to bone cells.
“The consumption of fructans contained in the agave, in collaboration with adequate intestinal micriobiota, promotes the formation of new bone, even with the presence of osteoporosis,“ Lopez explains.
As such, the results provide the possibility of developing an alternative treatment for osteoporosis, a disease that is said to affect 200 million people worldwide.
This isn’t the first time tequila has been hailed for its health benefits either.
Aside from its potential to treat osteoporosis, Elite Daily says that it can also help lower blood sugar, aid weight loss and even fight cholesterol.
http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/tequila-good-for-your-bones-study-center-for-research-and-advanced-studies-in-mexico-osteoporosis-a7721161.html
But then:
It’s true that a newly published study found that a substance in tequila (called agave tequilana, or tequila agave) might help maintain bone health. And that it could lead to new treatments for osteoporosis. But consider the details:
The researchers suggested that sugars in the agave tequilana interacted with bacteria in the intestinal tracts of the mice to encourage absorption of minerals needed to build bones. So, a “healthy intestinal microbiome” may also be required for this approach to work.
What’s the catch?
I think this new research is intriguing. It’s entirely possible that certain types of agave (a plant that produces a honey-like nectar) could turn out to help people maintain or improve bone health. And considering the health impacts of osteoporosis — hip fractures, loss of mobility, and complications that can lead to death in some cases — such an advance can’t come too soon.
But any study in animals has to be considered highly preliminary. It’s simply unknown whether the results of this study apply to humans. In addition, the animals did not drink tequila. They were treated with a chemical found in tequila. So, the suggestion that we (humans) might improve our bone health by drinking margaritas is, in my view, just a way to grab attention. Even if we could fast forward a few years and confirm that agave tequilana improves human bone health, it’s unlikely that the treatment would be in the form of tequila.
http://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/truth-tequila-bones-201605259671
I don't care. Bring on the El Patron. My bones will make the decision!
As reported by Science Daily, a researcher from Mexico has found that the plant used to make tequila contains substances capable of improving absorption of calcium and magnesium
Both minerals essentials to maintaining bone health.
In the study, which was conducted by the Center for Research and Advanced Studies in Mexico, mice who ingested fructans from blue agave produced nearly 50 per cent more osteocalcin – a protein that indicates the production of new bone – than mice who did not.
What’s more, the diameter of their bones proved to be higher after eight weeks of ingestion.
Project leader Dr Mercedes Lopez says these effects are down to an interaction between the fructans and bacteria in the intestines which allow sugar molecules to capture nutrients and help transport them to bone cells.
“The consumption of fructans contained in the agave, in collaboration with adequate intestinal micriobiota, promotes the formation of new bone, even with the presence of osteoporosis,“ Lopez explains.
As such, the results provide the possibility of developing an alternative treatment for osteoporosis, a disease that is said to affect 200 million people worldwide.
This isn’t the first time tequila has been hailed for its health benefits either.
Aside from its potential to treat osteoporosis, Elite Daily says that it can also help lower blood sugar, aid weight loss and even fight cholesterol.
http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/tequila-good-for-your-bones-study-center-for-research-and-advanced-studies-in-mexico-osteoporosis-a7721161.html
But then:
It’s true that a newly published study found that a substance in tequila (called agave tequilana, or tequila agave) might help maintain bone health. And that it could lead to new treatments for osteoporosis. But consider the details:
The researchers suggested that sugars in the agave tequilana interacted with bacteria in the intestinal tracts of the mice to encourage absorption of minerals needed to build bones. So, a “healthy intestinal microbiome” may also be required for this approach to work.
What’s the catch?
I think this new research is intriguing. It’s entirely possible that certain types of agave (a plant that produces a honey-like nectar) could turn out to help people maintain or improve bone health. And considering the health impacts of osteoporosis — hip fractures, loss of mobility, and complications that can lead to death in some cases — such an advance can’t come too soon.
But any study in animals has to be considered highly preliminary. It’s simply unknown whether the results of this study apply to humans. In addition, the animals did not drink tequila. They were treated with a chemical found in tequila. So, the suggestion that we (humans) might improve our bone health by drinking margaritas is, in my view, just a way to grab attention. Even if we could fast forward a few years and confirm that agave tequilana improves human bone health, it’s unlikely that the treatment would be in the form of tequila.
http://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/truth-tequila-bones-201605259671
I don't care. Bring on the El Patron. My bones will make the decision!
