Mon May 24, 2004 04:17 PM ET
By Amy Norton
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Women who run,
jump and pump iron after menopause may ward off bone loss,
back pain and high cholesterol, a study released Monday suggests.
Researchers in Germany found that a supervised exercise program
that included running, aerobics, jumping and strength training
helped prevent bone loss among postmenopausal women over a
two-year period.
Compared with non-exercisers, women in the program reported
less back pain and had lower cholesterol levels, according
to findings published in the May 24th issue of Archives of
Internal Medicine.
The study's lead author, Dr. Wolfgang Kemmler of the University
of Erlangen, pointed out that the study focused on women who
had recently gone through menopause, a time when bone loss
accelerates and heart disease risk rises due to declining
estrogen levels.
Experts know exercise can cut the risk of both cardiovascular
disease and the brittle-bone disease osteoporosis, but different
types and intensities of activity may be necessary. While
moderate exercise like walking can be enough to improve fitness
and general health, it may take higher-impact activity that
puts some stress on the bones to make a difference in bone
density.
Kemmler told Reuters Health his team's exercise plan had a
"multiple-purpose strategy" aimed primarily at preventing
bone loss, and also boosting cardiovascular fitness and quality
of life.
The study included 50 women between the ages of 48 and 60
who took part in the exercise program, and 33 women the same
age who were told to follow their usual lifestyle habits.
All of the women were showing some bone-density decline in
the spine or hip, and all were given calcium and vitamin D
to help slow their bone loss.
Women in the exercise group went through a supervised program
that grew in intensity over time and eventually got them running,
performing jumping exercises and strength training with weights,
machines and other equipment. They exercised four times a
week, with half the time spent in group classes, the other
half at home.
After two years, Kemmler's team found that the exercisers
showed improved endurance and strength, while their bone density
remained largely stable, and even increased in the spine.
In contrast, women in the comparison group remained at the
same level of fitness and showed further bone loss.
In addition, women in the exercise group saw a dip in blood
fats, including total cholesterol and triglycerides, while
these levels tended to go up in the comparison group. Back-pain
complaints also declined in the exercise group.
This latter finding, Kemmler and his colleagues note, shows
that, despite the fact that high-impact exercise carries a
risk of causing low-back pain, a "carefully increased
exercise regimen" can actually help ease the problem.
Kemmler stressed the importance of progressing toward intense
exercise such as jumping. "During the first months of
our study the exercise regime was increased slowly,"
he said, noting that high-impact activities did not begin
until the fifth month to reduce the risk of injury.
He advised that postmenopausal women who want to ramp up their
activity levels should first consult their doctors, then take
part in supervised programs or classes.
SOURCE: Archives of Internal Medicine, May 24, 2004. |
