2026-06-24 中国科学院（CAS）
＜関連情報＞
- https://english.cas.cn/newsroom/research-news/202606/t20260624_1174748.shtml
- https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0022316626002944
高齢マウスにおけるクコの実の毎日摂取が骨と筋肉に及ぼす影響 Effects of Daily Lycium barbarum Consumption Regimens on Bone and Muscle in Aging Mice
Chuanxin Sun, Yuke He, Fangjun Liu, Jiao Meng, Xinhua Qiao, Chang Chen
The Journal of Nutrition Available online: 4 June 2026
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tjnut.2026.101645
ABSTRACT
Background
Building on our previous findings that Lycium barbarum (“goji” berry, wolfberry) extracts mitigate age-related bone loss and improve muscle endurance, a key translational question emerges regarding its practical consumption. This study therefore investigates whether a common daily intake mode-simply soaking a small amount in hot water as tea or eating dried fruits directly confers comparable bone and muscle protective effects.
Objectives
This study aimed to determine whether 3 different daily consumption regimens of L. barbarum confer bone and muscle protective effects comparable to a concentrated extract in aging mice.
Methods
Two-month-old adult mice were used as controls. In a natural aging model, 14-mo-old male C57BL/6J mice were divided into 5 treatment groups (n = 8): aging control, Lycium barbarum extract (LBE, a concentrated aqueous decoction), hot water infusion without residue (LBHWI, daily water-soaked 15 goji berries), infusion with residue (LBHWI + Res), and whole fruit ingestion. After 16 wk of oral gavage, bone (microcomputed tomography, calcein labeling) and muscle (grip endurance, fiber typing) parameters were evaluated. Statistical analysis employed one-way analysis of variance followed by the Bonferroni post hoc test.
Results
LBE significantly increased bone mineral density by 43.5% (P < 0.05) and type IIa muscle fibers by 29.1% (P < 0.05) compared with aging controls. In vitro, LBE raised alkaline phosphatase activity from 0.034 to 0.047 nmoL/mg protein/min (P < 0.01) and upregulated Bglap expression 1.43-fold (P < 0.01). In contrast, none of the 3 daily consumption regimens (LBHWI, LBHWI + Res, whole fruit) improved any major in vivo endpoint (all P > 0.05).
Conclusions
The efficacy of L. barbarum is highly dependent on its form of administration. These findings suggest that conventional dietary intake may be insufficient, whereas standardized extracts offer a potent, evidence-based strategy for supporting skeletal and muscle health during aging; how to eat L. barbarum indeed matters.
