- To prevent weak bones, running is a better choice than cycling, study finds
- Choice of exercise particularly relevant to women at risk of osteoporosis
- The researchers from Milan studied health of 12 ultramarathon runners
Colin Fernandez, Science Correspondent For The Daily Mail
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Cycling may be enjoying a boom in the UK – but running is better for improving the health of our bones, a study has found.
To prevent weak bones, running is a better choice than exercises which don’t place weight on our bones such as cycling and swimming, experts suggest.
The choice of exercise may be particularly relevant to women who are at greater risk of osteoporosis – brittle bone disease.
The researchers from the Istituto Ortopedico Galeazzi in Milan studied the levels of hormones of 12 mountain ultramarathon runners before and after a 65 km (40.3 mile) race.
These levels were compared to a control group of 12 adults of the same age who didn’t run the race but did low to moderate physical exercise.
To prevent weak bones, running is a better choice than exercises which don’t place weight on our bones such as cycling and swimming, experts suggest
The scientists studied two proteins key to bone formation: osteocalcin and P1NP. The levels of these two chemicals in the blood are key indicators of bone health.
The scientists found that during the race, the runners had falling levels of osteocalcin and P1NP, which suggests that their body was diverting resources from building bones in the athletes because of the high demands for energy on their bodies.
But after the race, the ultramarathon runners had higher levels of P1NP after the race than the control group.
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This suggests that while their bodies divert energy from their bones during the race, they more than make up for it at rest – leading to a net gain in bone health over the long term.
Dr Giovbanni Lombardi, lead author of the study, said: ‘The every-day man and woman need to exercise moderately to maintain health.
‘However, our findings suggest that those at risk of weaker bones might want to take up running rather than swimming or cycling.’
Dr Lombardi, who presented his findings to the European Congress of Endocrinology in Munich, added: ‘Previous studies have shown that osteocalcin communicates with beta cells in the pancreas, which regulate the body’s glucose metabolism.
Marathon-record holder Paula Radcliffe competes during the Virgin Money London Marathon last year
‘Because running exerts a higher physical load on bone than swimming or cycling, it could be that these forces stimulate bone tissue to signal to the pancreas to help meet its energy needs in the long-term.’
He added: ‘Our work has shown that bones aren’t just lying idle, but are actively communicating with other organs and tissues to drive the body’s energy needs.
‘We often find that metabolic conditions and fracture risks are linked to the same underlying condition, so the more we learn about the interaction between bones and body metabolism, the better we will understand complex but important diseases such as diabetes and osteoporosis.’
Previous research from the Istituto Ortopedico Galeazzi in Milan found that cyclists racing in ultra-endurance conditions suffered chronic bone resorption – where calcium from bone is released into the blood stream, weakening bones.
Research published in 2012 found that adolescents and adults who participate in endurance sports, such as running, and non-weight-bearing sports, such as biking and swimming, often have lower bone mineral density (BMD) than athletes participating in ball and power sports.
In some cases, the BMD of the cyclists and swimmers was lower than their inactive peers – putting them at increased risk of fractures.
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