Klamath Falls, OR—Dried apple peel powder (DAPP) may be able to support joint function and range of motion, according to a recent study published in Journal of Medicinal Food.

In addition to testing in these two areas, additional in vitro and clinical testing was done to gauge possible mechanisms behind any change. The study subjects were 12 people who had moderate loss of joint range of motion as well as associated chronic pain. The subjects consumed 4.25 g DAPP daily for 12 weeks, with evaluations at baseline, 2, 4, 8, and 12 weeks. Each evaluation included range-of-motion tests, pain scores, and blood tests to determine serum antioxidant protective capacity.

Overall, the study administrators noticed rapid and sustained improvements in joint function in all of the subjects, not only limited to the problem areas of each individual subject, but other areas as well. General upper and lower back range of motion improvement was recorded, with significant improvements in thoracic, lumbar, and hip rotation. While there was some variance in the timeframe in which improvements became statistically significant, some of this significance was recorded as early as the 2-week mark. Parallel to this improvement was an improvement in serum antioxidant protection status, evident at the 2-week evaluation. Pain reduction was deemed significant at the 4-week evaluation, reaching a high level of significance after eight weeks. Due to the rise in antioxidants as well as the overall improvement of joint function as opposed to isolated improvement, the study offers believed that DAPP may provide a certain antioxidant that protects active cells from free radicals as well as anti-inflammatory properties.

Published in WholeFoods Magazine, February 2015(online 12/12/2014)