The food you can eat every day could help prevent Bone Thinning (osteopenia/osteoporosis) without increasing dangerous low-density cholesterol, says a new study published today.

The findings of a small comparative clinical trial, which were published in the open access journal BMJ Nutrition Prevention & Health, reveal that a small (57 g) daily serving of Jarlsberg cheese may prevent bone thinning (osteopenia/osteoporosis) without increasing dangerous low-density cholesterol.

The effects appear to be unique to a particular sort of cheese, according to the study.

A mild and semi-soft cheese with a nutty flavor and regular holes, Jarlsberg is prepared from cow’s milk. It comes from the Jarlsberg region of eastern Norway.

Previous studies suggest that it may help increase levels of osteocalcin, a hormone linked to healthy bones and teeth, although it is unclear whether this benefit is exclusive to Jarlsberg or any form of cheese.

In order to find out, researchers looked at 66 healthy women with an average age of 33 and a BMI of 24. These women were randomly assigned to eat either 57 g of Jarlsberg cheese (41) or 50 g of Camembert cheese (25) every day for 6 weeks.

The group consuming Camembert was then transferred to Jarlsberg for an additional six weeks.

Camembert and Jarlsberg both contain about the same amounts of fat and protein, but Jarlsberg has more vitamin K2, commonly known as menaquinone (MK), which comes in a number of different forms.

MK-4 is a short-chained molecule that is present in animal products like the liver. Long-chained MK-7, MK-8, MK-9, and MK-9(4H) molecules are produced by bacteria and can be found in several fermented foods, including cheese. Both MK-9 and MK-9(4H) are found in high amounts in Jarlsberg.

All of the participants had blood samples taken every six weeks to look for key proteins, osteocalcin, and a peptide (PINP) that are involved in bone turnover. Blood lipid levels and vitamin K2 levels were also assessed.

Analyses of blood samples revealed that the primary biochemical indicators of bone turnover, including osteocalcin and vitamin K2, increased dramatically in the Jarlsberg group after six weeks.

The levels of PINP remained stable in the Camembert group, whereas the levels of the other biochemical indicators decreased significantly. However, after moving to Jarlsberg, they substantially increased in number. Levels of PINP also rose.

After 6 weeks, blood fat levels marginally rose in both groups. However, after switching to Jarlsberg, the Camembert group’s levels of total cholesterol and LDL (bad) cholesterol considerably decreased.

The quantity of glucose stuck in red blood cells, measured by glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), decreased noticeably (by 3 percent) in the Jarlsberg group while rapidly increasing (by 2 percent) in the Camembert group. But in this group as well, HbA1c dramatically decreased after switching to Jarlsberg.

Compared to the Camembert group, calcium and magnesium levels considerably decreased in the Jarlsberg group. After switching cheeses, calcium levels fell in this group as well, which the researchers speculate may be due to enhanced intake of these essential elements for bone building.

“Daily Jarlsberg cheese consumption has a positive effect on osteocalcin, other [markers of bone turnover], glycated haemoglobin and lipids,” say the researchers, concluding that the effects are specific to this cheese.

In addition to MK-9-(4H), the bacteria Proprionebacterium freudenreichii in Jarlsberg also produces a chemical called DHNA, which, according to experimental studies, may help prevent bone thinning and promote the formation of new bone tissue. This may also help to explain why osteocalcin levels have increased.

Further, they propose that Jarlsberg cheese may help prevent osteopenia, the precursor to osteoporosis, as well as metabolic illnesses like as diabetes, although they emphasize that additional research is necessary to validate this.

The Executive Director of the NNEdPro Global Centre for Nutrition and Health, Professor Sumantra Ray, says that the study “shows that while calcium and vitamin D are known to be extremely important for bone health, there are other key factors at play, such as vitamin K2, which is perhaps not as well known.”

He also says that the study brings up an important research question. 

But he is cautious. 

“As this is a small study in young and healthy people designed to explore novel pathways linking diet and bone health, the results need to be interpreted with great caution as the study participants will not necessarily be representative of other groups. And it shouldn’t be taken as a recommendation to eat a particular type of cheese.”

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