Can steeping goji berries in a thermos bottle provide the traditional bone- and muscle-strengthening benefits associated with them? A new study suggests that the answer may depend on how the berries are consumed.

In a new study published in The Journal of Nutrition that On June 4, researchers led by Prof. CHEN Chang from the Institute of Biophysics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences for the first time, systematically compared the protective effects of a laboratory-prepared Lycium barbarum (goji berry) extract with those of three common daily consumption methods on bone and muscle health in naturally aged mice.

The study demonstrates that the method of consumption determines whether goji berries can exert their traditional "bone- and muscle-strengthening" effects.

The researchers selected three typical ways people consume goji berries: drinking a hot-water infusion prepared from a small handful of berries (approximately 15 berries), drinking the infusion and then eating the rehydrated berries, and consuming a handful of dried berries directly as a snack.

These approaches were evaluated for their potential protective effects on bone and muscle in aging mice. The researchers used a concentrated goji berry extract as a positive control. They had previously confirmed that this extract possesses musculoskeletal protective effects and has a well-defined preparation process.

Using a natural aging mouse model, the researchers established six experimental groups: an adult control group, an aging model group, an aging model treated with goji berry extract, an aging model receiving hot-water infusion without residue, an aging model receiving both the infusion and the soaked berries, and an aging model receiving whole dried berries. All mice were treated for 16 consecutive weeks.

The results showed that none of the three simulated daily consumption methods improved the age-related decline in bone mineral density, bone microarchitecture, or muscle endurance observed in naturally aged mice. In contrast, the concentrated goji berry extract significantly improved all of these parameters.

This study provides a direct, experimental answer to a common question: Do typical daily regimens of consuming goji berries actually work? The findings suggest that the traditional low-dose consumption of goji berries is insufficient for achieving the bone- and muscle-strengthening benefits attributed to the fruit.

The work not only provides scientific evidence for the question "What is the right way to consume goji berries?" but also serves as a reminder that simply "drinking goji berry tea" is inadequate for bone and muscle health.