NMU 337 – Icariin Flavonoid Continues to Show Positive Effects on Preventing and Managing Osteoporosis

Nutrition/Natural Medicine Update no 337 (Sept 25, 2024)

With Dr. James Meschino

Topic: Icariin Flavonoid Continues to Show Positive Effects on Preventing and Managing Osteoporosis

Source: Journal of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (2017)

Back in the year 2007 the first clinical trial was published showing that supplementation with 60 mg per day of icariin flavonoid from the Epimedium Herb, provided to postmenopausal woman for 24-months, showed a beneficial effect on preserving their overall bone density, compared to the placebo group. This study was carried out because animal studies had previously shown that the icariin flavonoid stimulates bone development (osteoblastic activity) and inhibits bone breakdown (osteoclastic activity). The icariin flavonoid is found the Epimedium herb that is very popular in Chinese Traditional Medicine. This compound is reported to be a potent enhancer of bone fracture healing, and extracts containing the icariin flavonoid can reduce the occurrence of postmenopausal osteoporosis in rats that have had their ovaries removed (ovariectomized rats). This means that in the absence of estrogen, the icariin flavonoid alone is able to preserve bone density in these animal studies. The other good news is that studies, thus far, reveal that the icariin flavonoid does not have any major side effects and shows a good safety profile. As such, Health Canada and the US FDA allow the sale of icariin flavonoid in natural health products – usually bone support supplements and libido-enhancing supplements.

In the year 2017 a new study was published that revealed more in depth molecular details by which the icariin flavonoid is able to stimulate new bone growth and inhibit the breakdown of bone. The study was published in the Journal of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine. The study not only showed that the icariin flavonoid improved bone density in a rat model of osteoporosis, but that withdrawal of the icariin supplementation resulted in bone loss. I believe this research is important because approximately 40% of women and 13% of men aged 50 and older will experience at least one fracture during the remainder of their lifetime and much of this is due to age-related bone loss, which can be prevented through prudent nutritional and lifestyle medicine practices in most cases. In fact, more women die in Canada each year from the complications of osteoporotic hip fractures than from the combine death rate from breast and ovarian cancers. And we know that many of those fractures are preventable if women could maintain more optimal bone density. The icariin flavonoid is one a very few phytonutrients that is shown to support bone density as we age.

Most people know that calcium and vitamin D are important to help maintain bone density as they age, but many people are unaware of the important studies showing the efficacy and safety of icariin flavonoid supplementation. For this reason, I believe that bone support supplements should include a daily dose of 300 mg of the Epimedium herb, standardized to 20% icariin flavonoid content (which yields 60 mg of icariin flavonoid content), in conjunction with other standard bone support nutrients such as calcium, vitamin D, and magnesium.

I have included the references on the icariin flavonoid and bone density in the text below.

References:

Shi W, Gao Y et al. The flavonol glycoside icariin promotes bone formation in growing rats by activating the cAMP signalling pathway in primary cilia of osteoblasts. Journal of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine. 2017, 292(51): 20883-20896. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5743065/

Zhang G et al. Epimedium-derived phytoestrogen flavonoids exert beneficial effect on preventing bone loss in late postmenopausal women: a 24-month randomized, double-blind and placebo-controlled trial. J Bone Mineral Research. 2007, 22(7): 1072-1079. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17419678/

Wang Z et al. The effect of icariin on bone metabolism and its potential clinical application. Osteoporosis International. 2018, 29(3): 535-544. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29110063/

Li XF et al. Icariin augments bone formation and reverses the phenotypes of osteoprotegerin-deficient mice through the activation of  Wnt-beta-catenin-BMP signalling. Evidence-based Complementary and Alternative Medicine. 2013. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24348713/

Long L et al.  Icariin : A potential alternative against osteoporosis.  Sage Journals: Natural Products Communication. 2022,17(11): 1-15. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/1934578X221134881

Eat Smart, Live Well, Look Great,
Dr. Meschino