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Lead Stories: Thursday, August 21, 2008

Low Bone Density: A Serious Risk Factor for Athletes

Posted October 29th, 2007 at 5:20 PM by Megan Hueter

Section: Health & Fitness, Injury & Rehab, Exercise

bone density scan image test result normal and low dbone density image A University of Missouri study suggests that athletic men may be at risk for low bone density. According to the National Osteoporosis Foundation, “osteoporosis affects more than 2 million men in the United States and nearly 12 million more have osteopenia– clinically significant low bone density that is less severe than osteoporosis.” The study now suggests that men who engage in low-impact forms of exercise have a higher incidence of osteopenia.

Pamela Hinton, an associate professor of nutritional sciences at the University of Missouri’s College of Human Environmental Sciences claims that “Regular, non-weight-bearing activities, such as swimming and cycling are effective measures for preventing the leading risk factors for death and disability in our society, but the results of this study suggest that regular weight-bearing activities, such as running, jogging, or rope jumping, are important for the maintenance of healthy bones.”

Read the rest of this article by new, staff writer Denise Musumeci via our partner site: HesFit.com

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Book Review: Dr. Kerrie Saunders’ “The Vegan Diet as Chronic Disease Prevention”

Posted May 21st, 2007 at 8:51 AM by Katie Drummond

Section: Motivation, Books, Nutrition, Vegetarianism, Special Features, Health & Fitness, TFS Reviews

For the average American, dinner probably means sitting down to a plate of meat, rounded out with sides like white bread and potatoes, and polished off with an after-dinner bowl of ice cream in front of the television. If this sounds familiar, Dr. Kerrie K. Saunders has written a book you need to read. A practitioner of integrative medicine, Dr. Saunders penned The Vegan Diet as Chronic Disease Prevention to argue that a diet based on “the new four food groups” can prevent or cure the epidemic ailments, from obesity and diabetes to cancer, that are increasingly prevalent across North America.

Read the rest at our partner site: HerActiveLife.com

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What’s the best time for future athletes to start training?

Posted March 6th, 2007 at 8:25 AM by Martha Jones

Section: Health & Fitness, Exercise

A study from Sweden suggests that the best time for future athletes to start training is probably before they go into puberty, because strength training before puberty gives a person larger and stronger bones.

The study also shows that the best way to prevent osteoporosis may be to start exercising against resistance before puberty and continue weight bearing exercise for the rest of your life.

Having large strong muscles makes you a better athlete, and muscle growth is limited by the size of the bones on which they attach. Training before puberty enlarges bones more effectively than at any other time in a person’s life.
Read the rest of this entry »

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Calorie restriction without exercise may lead to bone loss

Posted December 25th, 2006 at 7:00 AM by Jennifer Lipman

Section: Health & Fitness, Injury & Rehab, Exercise, Weight Loss

Cut the calories, check the scale, and a couple of weeks later you weigh less. However, a new study suggests that this decrease in weight is due to bone loss caused by lack of exercise when you just cut calories for a diet.

Dennis T. Villareal, MD, and his research team at Washington University in St. Louis, conducted an experiment featuring 30 women and 18 men over the age of 57. Nineteen of the adults were put on a calorie-restricted diet, lowering the intake of energy by 16 percent for the first three months. For the following 9 months, it was upped to 20 percent.
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Lifting Weights Can Also Make Your Bones Stronger

Posted October 29th, 2006 at 7:00 AM by Hariz Siddiqui

Section: Health & Fitness, Exercise

An interesting study from the University of British Columbia shows that lifting weights strengthens the bones of women in their late sixties.

The women were asked to use several weight machines three times a week for one year. At the end of that year, the women gained a tremendous amount of muscle strength, and they also had denser bones.

If a woman lives long enough, she will certainly develop osteoporosis which can shorten her life. This study shows that it is never too late to strengthen bones. Read the rest of this entry »

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Glucosamine & Chondroitin: A Dynamic Duo for Young and Old

Posted October 28th, 2006 at 12:00 PM by Jonathan Faccone

Section: Running & Training, Injury & Rehab, Nutrition, Supplements, Health & Fitness, Injury & Rehab

One of the most talked about supplements today is glucosamine and chondroitin. People are buying it like its going out of style. So why is there so much buzz and what does it actually do?

According to WebMD, “Glucosamine, also called chitosamine, is a natural substance that is found in the covering of shellfish . . . Glucosamine is also available in synthetic forms . . . Chondroitin can come from natural sources, such as shark or bovine cartilage, or it can be made in a lab.”

Both of these substances are part of normal cartilage, which acts as a cushion between the bones in a joint. Unfortunately, both glucosamine and chondroitin not present in significant amounts in most diets.

A note from our Editor-in-Chief: For vegetarians, like myself, or those allergic to shellfish - there are vegan versions of glucosamine which I have found to be very effective in limiting joint pain during marathon training. Unfortunately, no such alternative exists yet for chondroitin.

Considering the physical demands placed on athletes and endurance runners, glucosamine and chondroitin supplementation should be taken seriously as a possible supplement to aid in joint health and injury prevention. Read the rest of this entry »

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