Can This Norwegian Cheese Really Prevent Osteoporosis? [Study Says Yes]
Cheese to Prevent Osteoporosis
In a surprising new study published in the British Medical Journal’s Nutrition Prevention & Health, researchers found a specific Norwegian cheese prevented bone thinning. Just as important, the cheese did not increase bad fats known as low density lipoproteins (LDLs) and may also decrease A1c linked to diabetes.
Eastern Norway is home to the city of Jarlsberg. Yes, the same Jarlsberg as the delicious semi-soft cow’s milk based cheese. Prior studies showed Jarlsberg had the potential to prevent bone thinning.
What Helge Einar Lundberg et al. wanted to learn in this study was if any type of cheese had this benefit or if it was specific to Jarlsberg cheese.
Study background: a group of 66 healthy females averaging age 33 with BMIs averaging 24, were randomly given either 57 g of Jarlsberg or 50 g of Camembert to add to their diets for 6 weeks. At the conclusion of 6 weeks, the Camembert participants were switched over to Jarlsberg for an additional 6 weeks.
Both Camembert and Jarlsberg have similar fat and protein profiles. Jarlsberg however is plentiful in vitamin K2. K2 is also called menaquinone or MK. Specifically, Jarlsberg is rich in MK-9 and MK-9(4H), 2 of many variations of MK.
Study participants underwent blood lab test analysis at six week intervals to look for osteocalcin, a protein important for bone health and PINP a peptide linked to turnover of bone. They also analyzed vitamin K2 and serum fats.
Here were the main findings:
Lab analysis of the blood after 6 weeks showed the Jarlsberg participants had substantial increases in osteocalcin, PINP and vitamin K2. The results also showed blood fats were increased overall, but the bad LDL fats had fallen for those eating Jarlsberg.
The story was different in the Camembert group. Their levels of PINP were unchanged, while osteocalcin and K2 fell. Their blood fats increased, including an increase in bad LDL fats. These are not good results for the Camembert eaters.
Now here is the interesting part. When the Camembert group was switched over to Jarlsberg and re-tested six weeks later, they showed a remarkable difference. Now the group showed improved levels of osteocalcin, PINP and K2 and also decreased bad LDL fats.
Also of significant note was that HbA1c, glycolated hemoglobin, fell by 3% in the Jarlsberg group. This is the marker identified with diabetes you may know as A1c. HbA1c actually rose by 2% in the Camembert participants. And again, when they switched to Jarlsberg, those levels dropped again.
These findings suggested that Jarlsberg may help prevent osteoporosis, but also diabetes.
Prompting the researchers to write “Daily Jarlsberg cheese consumption has a positive effect on osteocalcin, other [markers of bone turnover], glycated hemoglobin and lipids.”
The conclusion was, there were positive benefits to a specific Norwegian cheese, namely Jarlsberg.
Why Jarlsberg?
Researchers theorize that a bacteria with Jarlsberg (Proprionbacterium freudenreichii) produces the MK-9-(4H) variant of vitamin K2. But that’s not all. It also produces DHNA, a substance preliminary studies show might stave off bone thinning.
The authors caution the relatively small size of the study and the participants were young and healthy before making great proclamations about Jarlsberg cheese. But what they have uncovered so far suggests that when choosing between cheeses, Jarlsberg might be the cheese of choice. At the very least, adding a small amount to your diet may be beneficial.
Obviously, the Best Way to Fight Osteoporosis is to Begin Preventing it Early, Here are Some Tips:
- Stay active. Exercise with weights, walk, bounce on a trampoline and continue these exercises into your mature years when possible
- Eat a well balanced diet with healthy lean meats, some Jarlsberg cheese, but also nuts and dark green leafy vegetables. And don’t be afraid of butter!
- Switch from colas to natural sparkling waters. Colas cause weakening of your bones
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Dr. Barry Marks, DC has been a practicing chiropractor in Orange, California since 1986. He is also a former Associate Clinical Professor at a leading Chiropractic College. Besides practice, he enjoys writing, cooking and car racing.
Reference: Helge Einar Lundberg et al, Effect on bone anabolic markers of daily cheese intake with and without vitamin K2: a randomised clinical trial, BMJ Nutrition, Prevention & Health (2022). DOI: 10.1136/bmjnph-2022-000424 , nutrition.bmj.com/content/earl … 9/bmjnph-2022-000424