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Media Releases
Pumping Iron Might Ward Off Bone Loss
Columbia, Mo. (Sept. 27, 2005) - For years, doctors have known that weight-bearing exercises, such as walking or stair climbing, can help people stave off bone loss and prevent osteoporosis, a condition that affects some 10 million Americans.
But don't shun other types of workouts as well, researchers warn.
A number of recent studies have shown other types of exercises, weight-training in particular, might help maintain bone density and prevent bone loss.
"Studies point to a benefit from weight training," says Dr. Sara E. Walker, a rheumatologist at the University of Missouri-Columbia School of Medicine and co-principal investigator of the Missouri Arthritis Rehabilitation Research and Training Center (MARRTC). "Therefore, healthy women might want to consider adding a weight-gaining component to their exercise regiment. It's worth discussing with your doctor."
All types of exercise provide some benefit to bones. However, weight training appears to have more positive effect on bone mass than aerobic exercise, according to a meta-analysis of studies published in the January 1999 edition of the journal Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise. Compared to nutritional supplements recommended for people with osteoporosis, such as calcium and vitamin D, resistance training offers added benefits including improved strength and balance and increased muscle mass, researchers found.
Another study, published in the January 2001 edition of the American Journal of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, found that resistance training improved overall bone mineral density in both women of childbearing age and post-menopausal women.
Another extensive review of literature on exercise and bone mass, published in the January 1999 edition of the journal Osteoporosis International, found that exercise programs that included all types of exercise had better effect on bone mass than regimens that included one type of exercise only. This analysis also found that exercise might prevent the risk of falls by improving poor muscle tone and increasing balance and coordination. The study found, however, that exercise alone could not counterbalance the rapid bone loss that women experience in the first years following onset of menopause.
Exercise is just one of several ways to maintain stave off bone loss, Walker explains. Other ways include:
regular intake of calcium, 1,500 mg per day
regular intake of vitamin D, 400 IU (international units) a day
not smoking
limited consumption of alcohol
People who are on high doses of steroid medication for prolonged periods of time are at higher risk for bone loss regardless of other risk factors. They should consult a doctor on ways to prevent bone loss.
Women who use the injectible form of the contraceptive drug Depo-Provera are at higher risk for bone loss as well, the Food and Drug Administration said in a warning issued in January.
To arrange an interview with a MARRTC expert on osteoporosis or any other arthritis related topic, contact Becky Woelfel, Senior Information Specialist, at (573) 882-2914 or by email at woelfelr@missouri.edu
The Missouri Arthritis Research Rehabilitation and Training Center (MARRTC) was established in 1971 at the University of Missouri-Columbia Arthritis Center. MARRTC is funded by the U.S. Department of Education's National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (H133B031120) and is the only federally funded arthritis rehabilitation research and training center in the country.
As part of the MU Health Communication Research Center (HCRC), MARRTC's mission is to become a national leader in the areas of disability management and communication, improve the quality of life and promote independent living among people who have arthritis and arthritic conditions. MARRTC's core message is "Disability is everyone's issue."
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