For the prevention and treatment of bone loss related diseases, focus has been put on naturally derived substances such as polyphenols. Based on human intervention studies, this review gives an overview of the effects of dietary significant polyphenols (flavonoids, hydroxycinnamic acids, and stilbenes) on bone turnover. Literature research was conducted using PubMed database and articles published between 01/01/2008 and 31/12/2018 were included (last entry: 19/02/2019). Randomized controlled trials using oral polyphenol supplementation, either of isolated polyphenols or polyphenols-rich foods with healthy subjects or study populations with bone disorders were enclosed. Twenty articles fulfilled the inclusion criteria and the average study quality (mean Jadad score: 4.5) was above the pre-defined cut-off of 3.0. Evidence from these studies does not allow an explicit conclusion regarding the effects of dietary important polyphenols on bone mineral density and bone turnover markers. Differences in study population, habitual diet, lifestyle factors, applied polyphenols, used doses, and polyphenol bioavailability complicate the comparison of study outcomes.
Keywords: antioxidants; bone; bone loss; flavonoids; osteoporosis; polyphenols.