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Weight lifting - bone scans improved in one year!
I'm a 62-year-old woman, average weight, healthy eater, and a runner. I was diagnosed with osteoporosis last year with my first bone scan. I tried one dose of oral Fosamax--it made me terribly sick--so I stopped immediately. I researched alternatives, adding Vitamin K2 and D to my supplements, and started weight lifting with heavy weights 5-6 times a week. I researched specific osteroporosis weight lifting programs, but couldn't find a coach nearby. So, I just started using youtube videos and lifting heavy weights. I just had a repeat bone scan that showed improvement in all my numbers--moving osteoporosis to osteopenia for some locations. My worst area is my L3--this improved by 30%! In one year! Very excited to share this. I hope that sharing my results might encourage others to try weight lifing.
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https://www.npr.org/2026/06/08/nx-s1-5843308/bone-density-loss-vibrating-plates-belt
Just read this article on vibrating plates.
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1 ReactionI have been diagnosed with Osteoporosis as well 2 years ago (-4). Doing research as well because I'm not satisfied with the drugs Tymlos and now I'm on Prolia. I have always maintained a very healthy diet and walk 3-5 miles daily, wear a weighted vest.; Yoga; Tai Chi . But am now moving to more resistance exercises and just purchased a bar bell, weights. In my research they focus on back squats, dead left and overhead press. Comprising a workout of 30 minutes 3 times a week. Have watched "Brick House Bones". Thank you all for these invaluable contributions.
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1 Reaction@cmbaczenski I'm very sorry you were not satisfied with Tymlos. Could you share your experience? Where the gains from 2 years of Tymlos not what was expected?
@vga That NPR article is about the OsteoBoost BELT, not so much about vibrating plates. There are also other discussions on this forum about WBV with additional links to other resources. Here is a scientific publication about more general WBV.
Whole-Body Vibration Therapy as a Modality for Treatment of Senile and Postmenopausal Osteoporosis: A Review Article
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9925023/
EXCERPT: "It can be concluded that vibration therapy showed positive outcomes as a treatment modality to improve bone mass density and postural control in postmenopausal women and geriatric populations."
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1 ReactionPlease keep us posted on anything you learn
Can you specify what, for you, are 'heavy weights'? I am just beginning to add weight to my lifting and resistance training. Thank you.
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1 Reaction@tillymack, I, too, had a very bad experience with Tymlos and had to stop after 4 months. Beginning after the first shot, I experienced severe heart palpitations. My doctor encouraged me to keep at it, so I did. I subsequently started having very painful joints, significant hair loss, and the final straw which made my doctor make me stop--I could no longer walk without support because my legs were buckling. At the same time that I was on Tymlos, I had bad inflammations on my gum and a dental xray pointed to a tooth resorption. I had a dental x-ray just a year before and the tooth resorption was not detected. Not sure if Tymlos caused the gum inflammation and the tooth resorption or if it was just a coincidence. I have been off Tymlos since December and am not on any osteoporosis medication. All side effects are gone, except for the tooth resorption for which the only solution is extraction because of its severity. I am now on Onero, better diet, AlgaeCal Plus, magnesium glycinate, and protein shakes. By the way, while my November 2025 Dexa scan showed severe osteoporosis, a REMs scan in January 2026 showed very strong bones (I am very petite). Recent blood tests, including CTX, were within the normal range. For background, I am 73 years old and was diagnosed with osteoporosis after my breast cancer treatment. I was on alendronate for 5 years at a time three times (drug holidays in between).
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@yds Glad that your bones are now strong! Would you say that is due to tymlos or the other measures you've taken (Onero, better diet, AlgaeCal Plus, magnesium glycinate and protein shakes)? Glad too that those scary side effects are for the most part gone!
@tillymack, my good blood work results are definitely NOT due to Tymlos. After four months on it (after my doctor stopped me from taking it further), he ordered DEXA. My femoral neck got slightly worse, and there were no changes in others. The blood test and 24-hour urine calcium test were taken only a week ago, 7 months after I stopped taking Tymlos. The improvements, I think, were either due to my improved diet and Onero. I did take alendronate for five years until March 2025. Alendronate stays in your system for a long time. I only stopped alendronate because I had been on it for five years. It did cause me to have hair loss, but not as much as Tymlos did. Each of us have different reactions to medications. Tymlos was just not right for me. It may be right for others.