Bone mineral density is increased after a 16-week resistance training intervention in elderly women with decreased muscle strength

: Huovinen V, Ivaska KK, Kiviranta R, Bucci M, Lipponen H, Sandboge S, Raiko J, Eriksson JG, Parkkola R, Iozzo P, Nuutila P

Publisher: BIOSCIENTIFICA LTD

: 2016

: European Journal of Endocrinology

: EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF ENDOCRINOLOGY

: EUR J ENDOCRINOL

: 175

: 6

: 571

: 582

: 12

: 0804-4643

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1530/EJE-16-0521

Objective: Non-pharmacological interventions are important in reducing risk for osteoporotic fractures. We investigated the effects of a 16-week individualized resistance training intervention on bone mineral density (BMD), bone turnover markers and 10-year relative risk (RR) for osteoporotic fracture.Design: Interventional study with a follow-up.Methods: In total, 37 elderly women (mean age 71.9 +/- 3.1 years) with decreased muscle strength participated in the resistance training intervention three times per week with 60 min per session for 16 weeks under the supervision of a licensed physiotherapist. Total hip BMD with quantitative CT, bone markers (sclerostin, osteocalcin, CTX, PINP, IGF-1, 25(OH)-D) and 10-year RR for osteoporotic fracture were measured at baseline, post-intervention and at 1-year follow-up after the end of the intervention. Eleven age-and sex-matched controls did not participate in the intervention but were studied at baseline and at 1-year follow-up.Results: Resistance training seemed to increase total hip BMD by 6% (P = 0.005). Sclerostin (P < 0.001) and total osteocalcin (P = 0.04) increased while other bone markers remained unchanged. A 10-year RR for major osteoporotic and hip fracture remained unchanged. At follow-up total hip BMD (P < 0.001) decreased back to the baseline level with a simultaneous decrease in serum sclerostin (P = 0.045), CTX (P < 0.001) and an increase in 25(OH)-D (P < 0.001), 10-year RR for major osteoporotic (P = 0.002) and hip fracture (P = 0.01).Conclusions: Our findings suggest an important role of continuous supervised resistance training for the prevention of osteoporotic fractures in elderly women with decreased muscle strength.