In the new study, Dr. Chanelle Zamora of Texas Woman's University and her colleagues studied 72 male and female participants with osteoarthritis (OA). The researchers randomly divided the participants into two groups, one taking freeze-dried grape powder and the other a placebo. The comparative study results showed that participants in the freeze-dried grape powder group reported less joint pain and had significantly better joint flexibility and overall physical ability than those in the placebo group. The study found that the pain-relieving effect of grapes on arthritis was more pronounced in female participants. The research evidence indicates that male participants who consumed a grape-rich diet showed a significant increase in cartilage metabolism.
Dr. Zamora stated that arthritis is common in people over 45 and has a higher incidence rate in women than in men. The new study results suggest that eating grapes and their products daily can help alleviate arthritis pain and knee osteoarthritis symptoms, and improve joint flexibility and overall physical ability. The polyphenol antioxidants in grapes play a crucial role.