Pomegranate juice improves physical function and stiffness, decreases cartilage breakdown enzymes and enhances antioxidant status in patients with knee osteoarthritis.
In the methodology used for this study, the researchers gathered 38 patients diagnosed with knee osteoarthritis. These participants were randomly assigned into one of two groups, a control group and a pomegranate juice (PJ) group. Over a course of six weeks, each group was assessed on their clinical signs, inflammation and antioxidant status so as to understand the impact of pomegranate juice intake on these factors.
The results from this study indicated significant improvements in the group that consumed the pomegranate juice, as evidenced by reductions in their total Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis scores, signifying decreased stiffness and improved physical function. In addition, the serum levels of a specific protein involved in cartilage degradation (matrix metalloproteinase-13) were lowered, whilst the concentrations of an antioxidant enzyme (glutathione peroxidase) rose. This implies that pomegranate juice can potentially lessen the degenerative impact of knee osteoarthritis on joint health and improve overall patients' wellbeing.
