Who is eligible for clinical trial NCT02822378?

Participants must meet the protocol's inclusion criteria for Postmenopausal Osteoporosis. The stated age range is 55 Years to 75 Years. Confirm all requirements with the study coordinator.

Does clinical trial NCT02822378 provide travel or cost reimbursement?

Check with the site coordinator at the participating facility for travel and lodging stipend availability, and for which routine-care costs are covered.

🏛️ Verified NIH Record • Updated 2026-07-02

Dried Plums and Bone Health in Postmenopausal Women (NCT02822378)

Randomized Control Trial of Dietary Supplementation With Dried Plums on Bone Density, Geometry and Estimated Bone Strength in Postmenopausal Women

🔵 Active, Not Recruiting Observational / Diagnostic 📋 Clinical Research Protocol Sponsor: Penn State University

🩺 Plain-English Summary (8th-Grade Level)

Postmenopausal women often seek non-pharmacologic interventions for the protection of bone health. Previous research in humans and rodents has indicated that dietary dried plum consumption may be beneficial for bone health, especially in postmenopausal women. However, it is unknown in what quantity dried plums need to be consumed to be of benefit and through what mechanisms dried plums act to impact bone health. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to evaluate the impact of 52 weeks of dried plums consumption in varying quantities on bone mineral density (BMD), bone geometry, and estimated bone strength in postmenopausal women. The investigators also seek to evaluate the mechanisms underlying the effects of dried plums as a dietary supplement by assessing polyphenols and the bioavailable conjugated metabolites in the urine of postmenopausal women taking different doses of dietary dried plums. The investigators aim to further investigate the mechanisms of dried plum action on bone by measuring markers of bone metabolism in response to dried plum consumption.

Who can join: To join this study, participants generally need to meet the listed inclusion criteria (7 items) and avoid the listed exclusions (21 items).

Location: Women's Health and Exercise Laboratories, The Pennsylvania State University — University Park, Pennsylvania

Age range: 55 Years to 75 Years

🧪 Interventions in This Study

📋 "Do I Qualify?" — 1-Minute Self Screener

Instant Checklist

Check every box below. If you can check all of them, you may meet the study's basic screening requirements (final eligibility is confirmed by the site team).

Postmenopausal women
not severely obese (BMI \< 40 kg/m2);
healthy (determined by a screening questionnaire, complete metabolic panel);
willing to include dried plums in their daily diet;
not taking any natural dietary supplement containing phenolics, blueberries or apples for at least 2 months prior to study entry; can stop for 2 months to meet entry criteria
non-smoking; ambulatory;
low BMD as measured by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). Eligible BMD values (T-scores) for DXA measures of the lumbar spine, total hip and/or femoral neck will correspond to T-scores between 0 and -3.0.

Usually NOT eligible if any of the following apply:

Exclusion Criteria:
Women who regularly consume dried plums, dried apples, prune juice, or heavy consumers of blueberries (1 cup or more/day). Potential volunteers who will refrain from consumption of the afore mentioned foods for the duration of the study will become eligible after a 2 month washout period;
vitamin D deficiency (\<20 ng/mL);
history of vertebral fracture or fragility fracture of the wrist, humerus, hip or pelvis after age 50 yr);
untreated hyper- or hypothyroidism;
current hyper- or hypoparathyroidism;
significantly impaired renal function; high potassium
current hypo- or hypercalcemia;
history of spinal stenosis;
history of heart attack, stroke, thromboembolism, kidney disease, malabsorption syndrome, seizure disorders;
positive for HIV, Hep-C or Hep-B surface antigen and malignancy.
Use of the following agents affecting bone metabolism:

🔍 Extracted verbatim from the official NIH eligibility criteria. Always confirm with the study coordinator.

📍 All Participating Trial Locations (1 Sites)

Women's Health and Exercise Laboratories, The Pennsylvania State University — University Park, Pennsylvania

💰 Cost, Insurance & Patient Rights

100% Free Items: The investigational treatment and protocol-required procedures are supplied at zero cost by the sponsor.
Routine Patient Care: Under federal law (ACA § 2709) and many state statutes, routine care costs are covered during participation.
Voluntary Participation: You may withdraw at any time without affecting your standard medical care.

💡 How to Participate

Check the checklist above to see if you may qualify.
Review the official NIH record below to find the coordinating site.
Ask about the visit schedule, what is covered at no cost, and any travel support.
Confirm with your own doctor before making a decision.

🏛️ View Official NIH Record ↗