Top 5 Bone Broth Benefits

Bone broth is a fantastic way of getting all sorts of nutrients, like amino acids and collagen, that are found in bones. With these important nutrients, protein levels in the body can be increased to help with things like tissue growth and healing. Additionally, bone broth has been shown to improve digestion, joint function, and immunity.

Keep reading below to learn about bone broth benefits, and how to make your own bone broth at home!

1. Brain Health

Bone broth is a good source of the amino acid, glycine. This amino acid is important for neurotransmission, brain development, motor skills, and behavior. Glycine also has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. (1) (2) (3)

Several studies have found glycine to be effective in combating neurological damage from oxidative stress in mice. (4) This type of cellular damage can adversely impact the nervous system and contribute to the formation of neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer's or Parkinson's. (5)

2. Gut Health

Beef bone broth is high in glutamine, an amino acid that the body needs as nutrition for the intestinal cells & having a healthy inflammatory response. People who have IBD (inflammatory bowel disease) may have low levels of glutamine. Consuming bone broth on a daily basis might help boost these levels. (6)

3. Immune Health

Glutamine is not only an important nutrient for a healthy gut, but it is also crucial for a healthy immune system. White blood cells need glutamine to function properly. During illness or injury, glutamine is just as important as glucose for providing energy to the body.

There are ways to create glutamine within the body, but it might not be enough when you are sick. Some research says that if you take glutamine before or after a big event, like surgery, you might get better faster. (7)

4. Joint Health

Millions of people in North America suffer from chronic pain, with osteoarthritis being one of the most common forms. Osteoarthritis happens when cartilage protecting bones breaks down over time, which then causes friction between bones and results in pain and other issues.

Collagen is a protein that is found in skin and other connective tissues. It can be made in the body by using amino acids, or it can be gotten from dietary or supplement sources. Consuming more collagen and collagen-building amino acids and nutrients may help promote bone and joint health.

Bone broth is a good dietary source of collagen and collagen-building amino acids. Clinical and animal research has demonstrated that supplementing with collagen extract derived from chicken bones, like that from chicken bone broth, may be effective for decreasing joint pain. (8)

5. Skin Health

The skin is the body's largest organ. It contains up to 70% of collagen, which helps keep the skin structure and elasticity strong. As people get older, they produce less collagen, which can make the skin thin, dry and wrinkled. Research suggests that collagen is a major factor in keeping skin looking young. (9) Bone broth collagen may be just what your skin needs for a youthful appearance.

Homemade Bone Broth Recipe

Follow these simple steps to create a delicious bone broth recipe at home!

Although bone broth is largely considered safe, it may contain small amounts of heavy metals. Home-made bone broth from high-quality animal bones can help reduce toxin exposure and increase nutrients. If you have a health condition, speak to your holistic healthcare provider before making any changes to your diet!

Post inspired by Fullscript. References:

1. Avila, A., Nguyen, L., & Rigo, J.-M. (2013). Glycine receptors and Brain Development. Frontiers in Cellular Neuroscience, 7. https://doi.org/10.3389/fncel.2013.00184

2. Mar-Solís LM, Soto-Domínguez A, Rodríguez-Tovar LE, Rodríguez-Rocha H, García-García A, Aguirre-Arzola VE, Zamora-Ávila DE, Garza-Arredondo AJ, Castillo-Velázquez U. Analysis of the Anti-Inflammatory Capacity of Bone Broth in a Murine Model of Ulcerative Colitis. Medicina (Kaunas). 2021 Oct 20;57(11):1138. doi: 10.3390/medicina57111138. PMID: 34833355; PMCID: PMC8618064.

3. Razak MA, Begum PS, Viswanath B, Rajagopal S. Multifarious Beneficial Effect of Nonessential Amino Acid, Glycine: A Review. Oxid Med Cell Longev. 2017;2017:1716701. doi: 10.1155/2017/1716701. Epub 2017 Mar 1. Erratum in: Oxid Med Cell Longev. 2022 Feb 23;2022:9857645. PMID: 28337245; PMCID: PMC5350494.

4. Ullah R, Jo MH, Riaz M, Alam SI, Saeed K, Ali W, Rehman IU, Ikram M, Kim MO. Glycine, the smallest amino acid, confers neuroprotection against D-galactose-induced neurodegeneration and memory impairment by regulating c-Jun N-terminal kinase in the mouse brain. J Neuroinflammation. 2020 Oct 15;17(1):303. doi: 10.1186/s12974-020-01989-w. PMID: 33059700; PMCID: PMC7566050.

5. Salim S. Oxidative Stress and the Central Nervous System. J Pharmacol Exp Ther. 2017 Jan;360(1):201-205. doi: 10.1124/jpet.116.237503. Epub 2016 Oct 17. PMID: 27754930; PMCID: PMC5193071.

6. Mar-Solís LM, Soto-Domínguez A, Rodríguez-Tovar LE, Rodríguez-Rocha H, García-García A, Aguirre-Arzola VE, Zamora-Ávila DE, Garza-Arredondo AJ, Castillo-Velázquez U. Analysis of the Anti-Inflammatory Capacity of Bone Broth in a Murine Model of Ulcerative Colitis. Medicina (Kaunas). 2021 Oct 20;57(11):1138. doi: 10.3390/medicina57111138. PMID: 34833355; PMCID: PMC8618064.

7. Cruzat V, Macedo Rogero M, Noel Keane K, Curi R, Newsholme P. Glutamine: Metabolism and Immune Function, Supplementation and Clinical Translation. Nutrients. 2018 Oct 23;10(11):1564. doi: 10.3390/nu10111564. PMID: 30360490; PMCID: PMC6266414.

8. Schauss AG, Stenehjem J, Park J, Endres JR, Clewell A. Effect of the novel low molecular weight hydrolyzed chicken sternal cartilage extract, BioCell Collagen, on improving osteoarthritis-related symptoms: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. J Agric Food Chem. 2012 Apr 25;60(16):4096-101. doi: 10.1021/jf205295u. Epub 2012 Apr 16. PMID: 22486722.

9. Seol JY, Yoon JY, Jeong HS, Joo N, Choi SY. Anti-Aging Effects of the Hanwoo Leg Bone, Foot and Tail Infusions (HLI, HFI and HTI) on Skin Fibroblast. Korean J Food Sci Anim Resour. 2016;36(2):237-43. doi: 10.5851/kosfa.2016.36.2.237. Epub 2016 Apr 30. PMID: 27194933; PMCID: PMC4869551.