Originally published June 12 2005
Johns Hopkins researchers debunk misconception about bone loss and exercise
by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, NaturalNews Editor
Researchers at Johns Hopkins recently found that people age 55 to 75 do not suffer bone loss when exercising along with dieting. Previous studies showed that dieting alone did increase bone loss, but moderately exercising along with diet did not result in bone loss. The study included 104 men and women, half of which were placed on a heart-healthy diet and moderate exercise program, and half of which remained on their normal diet. The participants dieting and exercising increased oxygen intake by 16 percent, strength by 17 percent and reduced abdominal fat by 20 percent, all while keeping bone mass intact and in some cases, moderately increasing bone mass.
Debunking the myth that exercising to lose excess body fat, unlike dieting alone, comes at a cost to bone health, researchers at Johns Hopkins have determined that for those age 55 to 75, a moderate program of physical exercise generally maintains bone mass and, in some cases, offers modest improvements.
The Hopkins team showed, in a study to be published in the June issue of the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, that after six months of aerobic exercise on a treadmill, bicycle or stepper, plus weightlifting, subjects experienced better overall fitness and fat loss without much change in bone mineral density.
A more detailed analysis revealed slight gains in bone mass, of 1 percent to 2 percent, for those who exercised hardest and showed the greatest increases in aerobic fitness, muscle strength and muscle tissue.
The Hopkins study is believed to be the first to evaluate the effects of exercise independently from other factors, primarily diet, on bone mineral density, a strong gauge of bone health, against the risk of osteoporosis and bone fracture.
"Older people are very concerned about how best to reduce their body fat as a means of preventing other health problems, such as heart disease and diabetes," says lead study investigator and exercise physiologist Kerry Stewart, Ed.D., a professor of medicine and director of clinical exercise physiology and heart health programs at The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and its Heart Institute.
The average weight loss in this group was only four pounds, because much of the loss of fat was offset by increased muscle mass.
Jan de Beur adds that while bone mass did not increase in this program, there are other benefits that will likely reduce the risk of fractures.
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