GradedHealth

Do prunes help your bones and ease constipation?

Prunes may help keep hip and spine bone density up in postmenopausal women, and they eased constipation better than psyllium in one small trial.

Published October 2026

Short answer

Small trials suggest prunes may help preserve bone density in postmenopausal women and ease constipation. Fracture benefit has not been tested. Evidence grade C (Limited). Small RCTs and one pooled analysis of 11 trials with high variation; downgraded for small size, inconsistent bone results and surrogate bone density outcomes.

Key takeaways

  • A 2026 meta-analysis of 11 trials (747 people) found a borderline gain in lumbar spine bone density from prunes, with wide differences between studies [1].
  • In a 12-month trial of 235 postmenopausal women, 50 g of prunes a day led to less total hip bone loss than in the control group [2].
  • In a three-week crossover trial of 40 people with constipation, prunes gave more complete bowel movements per week than psyllium [3].
  • In a 12-month trial of 66 men, 100 g of prunes a day did not change bone density, although some bone-breakdown markers fell [4].

The short version

Prunes may help keep bone density up in postmenopausal women, and they may ease constipation. The bone evidence comes from a few small trials and a pooled analysis that found only a borderline lumbar gain [1][2]. Our searches did not find a trial that measured fractures. For constipation, one small trial found prunes worked better than psyllium, a common fibre supplement [3].

What the studies show

For bone, a 2026 meta-analysis pooled 11 randomised trials with 747 people. The pooled lumbar spine result was borderline, with no clear effect at other sites, and results varied widely between studies [1].

The largest single trial followed 235 postmenopausal women for 12 months. Those eating 50 g of prunes a day lost only 0.3% of total hip bone density, while the control group lost 1.1% [2]. The 100 g group did not differ significantly from control, and 41% of that group dropped out [2].

In a six-month trial of 48 women with low bone density, both 50 g and 100 g of prunes a day prevented loss of total body bone density compared with control [5].

In men, 100 g of prunes a day for 12 months did not change bone density at the spine, hip or total body. Two bone-breakdown markers did fall in the prune group [4].

For constipation, a 2021 review of over-the-counter treatments rated prunes as moderate evidence (grade B) as a fruit-based laxative [6]. A three-week crossover trial in 40 people with constipation found prunes gave more complete bowel movements per week than psyllium, and both were well tolerated [3]. A 2014 review found the same direction in one constipation trial, but the evidence for other outcomes was weak [7]. A 2024 meta-analysis found no difference between prunes and psyllium on stool frequency [8].

The nuances

Bone density is a stand-in for fracture risk, and the trials ran for six to 12 months. The 2026 analysis calls the evidence limited [1]. Prunes are high in fibre [7].

The trials used 50 to 100 g of prunes a day [2][5]. The best hip result came from the smaller 50 g dose, not the larger one [2].

Funding matters. The 2021 review's authors reported past research grants from a California dried plum growers' association [6]. A prune-juice trial was partly funded by its maker, and that juice also contains added sorbitol and pectin, so it is not plain prune juice [9].

What this means for you

Prunes are a food, not a treatment, and the trials are small. Talk with a doctor about bone loss or constipation before making prunes a regular habit [1][7]. The trials we found did not measure actual fractures; the Prune Study's fracture-risk score was held steady in the prune groups [2].

Go deeper

  • Prunes — Prunes may help preserve bone density in postmenopausal women and ease constipation, but the bone trials are small, the pooled lumbar result is borderline, and…

References

  1. Effects of Prunes on Bone Density in Humans: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.. Nutrients, 2026.
  2. Prunes preserve hip bone mineral density in a 12-month randomized controlled trial in postmenopausal women: the Prune Study.. Am J Clin Nutr, 2022.
  3. Randomised clinical trial: dried plums (prunes) vs. psyllium for constipation.. Aliment Pharmacol Ther, 2011.
  4. Effects of 12 Months Consumption of 100 g Dried Plum (Prunes) on Bone Biomarkers, Density, and Strength in Men.. J Med Food, 2022.
  5. The effect of two doses of dried plum on bone density and bone biomarkers in osteopenic postmenopausal women: a randomized, controlled trial.. Osteoporos Int, 2016.
  6. Efficacy and Safety of Over-the-Counter Therapies for Chronic Constipation: An Updated Systematic Review.. Am J Gastroenterol, 2021.
  7. Systematic review: the effect of prunes on gastrointestinal function.. Aliment Pharmacol Ther, 2014.
  8. Systematic review and meta-analysis: Foods, drinks and diets and their effect on chronic constipation in adults.. Aliment Pharmacol Ther, 2024.
  9. Prune Juice Containing Sorbitol, Pectin, and Polyphenol Ameliorates Subjective Complaints and Hard Feces While Normalizing Stool in Chronic Constipation: A Randomized Placebo-Controlled Trial.. Am J Gastroenterol, 2022.