How much weight lifting is required to build bone?

Posted by cahabagirl @cahabagirl, May 28, 2023

After a full year of weekly Osteostrong sessions, my T scores remained the same: spine -1.7, right hip -1.5, and left hip -1.3. While I’m glad that the scores were no worse, I decided that it wasn’t worth the expense. My physician told me that I can increase my bone density with weightlifting even at the age of 73. I am 5’7” and weigh 122 lbs.
So, I’ve joined a nice fitness center at a fraction of the cost and signed up for a personal trainer for 6 months.

At our first session, I told the trainer that I want to build bone, and I’m training twice a week. We started with low weights and he has me increase the weights each time. He told me that I am likely to see an increase in weight due to the building of muscles. I admit that after only 5 sessions, I like the changes I’m seeing but I don’t want to look like a bodybuilder and certainly don’t want to have to buy a new wardrobe.
My question is how does one determine how much weight will build bone? I assume that amount would vary depending on each person’s physique. If so, how does one calculate that?

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Osteoporosis & Bone Health Support Group.

@fearfracture

Thank you, Ans. I look forward to McCormick’s response to starting HRT if one is more that 10 yrs beyond menopause.

About a year ago, I found a study about post menopausal women, who took higher doses of magnesium while doing HRT, improving their trabecular bone. This article talks about that study and provides a lot helpful info that most doctors never mention to patients. https://www.drdebe.com/articles/what-your-doctor-hasnt-told-you-about-osteoporosis

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Thank you for sharing that link!!

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@fearfracture

Thank you, Ans. I look forward to McCormick’s response to starting HRT if one is more that 10 yrs beyond menopause.

About a year ago, I found a study about post menopausal women, who took higher doses of magnesium while doing HRT, improving their trabecular bone. This article talks about that study and provides a lot helpful info that most doctors never mention to patients. https://www.drdebe.com/articles/what-your-doctor-hasnt-told-you-about-osteoporosis

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Hi read the article several times (very informative thank you) but could not find the part regarding higher doses of magnesium with HRT to improve trabecular bone. Can you tell me which paragraph refers to this? Its a lengthy article. Thanks!

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@cahabagirl

I, too, want to avoid meds. I found this article to be interesting and will incorporate some of the suggestions into my routine. I do have a vibration platform that I have started using for 10-20 minutes 5 days per week.
Article is from an Orthopedic practice in Texas.
“ Make an Impact on Your Bone Density
If you want to build healthy bones, the best thing you can do is make an impact with the ground. In other words, try running, jumping, or walking. These activities create forces that move through your bones and help with the bone remodeling process that adds density.
Jump: If you really want to go high-impact, try jumping. One study showed that premenopausal women who performed 10 to 20 high-impact jumps, with 30 seconds of rest in between each jump, twice a day for four months significantly increased bone density in their hip bones compared to a group of women who did not jump.[1] (As an added bonus, high-impact jumping torches calories.)

Walk: If jumping isn’t your style, don’t underestimate the value of a brisk walk. The Nurses’ Health Study included data from more than 60,000 postmenopausal women. The women who walked briskly at least four times per week had a lower risk of hip fractures compared to their counterparts who either didn’t walk or walked less often or more slowly.[2]

Mixed-Up Movement: Mixed-up movement is exactly what it sounds like—movement that mixes it up by taking you in different directions. Whether walking, jogging, or hopping, throw in what is referred to as odd impacts—meaning that you move sideways, backwards, or any direction other than straight ahead. Tennis players know all about mixed-up movement. Research has shown that such odd-impact activity can help build stronger bones and keep hip and spine fragility at bay.[3]

What About Weight Lifting?
It turns out, weight lifting alone is not enough to build bone density—but don’t discount the value of pumping iron. Strength training is an important part of any well-rounded fitness regimen. Weight training plus other high-impact exercise is an excellent recipe for strong bones.

One study showed that people participating in high-impact sports—such as volleyball, hurdling, squash, soccer, and speed skating—had higher bone density than those competing in weightlifting.[4]Weight lifting wasn’t a total wash, though—the weight lifters had stronger bones than individuals who participated in no-impact sports, such as swimming, and bicycling.
Another study showed that women who included jumping and weight lifting in their fitness program improved the density of their spines by about 2 percent compared to a control group.[5]Interestingly, the women who included both upper and lower body strength training showed the most benefit—lower body strength training alone was not enough.

Shake it Up
If you’ve written off whole-body vibration platforms as a silly fad, you may want to reconsider. One study has shown that postmenopausal women who used the vibration platform for five minutes three times a week had 2 percent more spinal bone density compared to a group of control women who did not vibrate—and who actually lost about a half a percent of bone density in their spines.[6]
These machines have gone mainstream, cropping up in gyms all over the country. While they are no substitute for good old-fashioned exercise, they could play a role in building bone density

Building Bone Health Throughout Life
Bone density declines after age 30, so it’s important to build bone density early on in order to prevent osteoporosis later in life.
It’s never too late to build bone health. Weight-bearing exercise is beneficial at every stage of life: childhood, adolescence, and adulthood. The University of Michigan researchers found that as little as 15-20 minutes of weight-bearing exercise, three days a week was sufficient for building bone density.”

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Thanks.I was recently diagnosed with osteoporosis. I started doing Dr. Loren Fishman's yoga for osteoporosis as some of the members suggested. Have somewhat less pain in the back now. Also, looking for good WBV machine. There are few on Amazon with high ratings for the use of osteoporosis and the body.

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I couldn’t open your reaction to HRT.

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@vgkime

Hi read the article several times (very informative thank you) but could not find the part regarding higher doses of magnesium with HRT to improve trabecular bone. Can you tell me which paragraph refers to this? Its a lengthy article. Thanks!

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I did not find that specific correlation made either…. But excellent article!

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@vinny101

Thanks.I was recently diagnosed with osteoporosis. I started doing Dr. Loren Fishman's yoga for osteoporosis as some of the members suggested. Have somewhat less pain in the back now. Also, looking for good WBV machine. There are few on Amazon with high ratings for the use of osteoporosis and the body.

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If WBV means weight bearing vibration - which to me is what I refer to as LIV Low Intensity Vibration….. I would really do your research on what you might consider purchasing as there are specific parameters that are needed to be effective and NOT harmful to you. I have not been on Amazon to look at the offerings , but please take the time to check out the Marodyne LIV. Expensive, but researched, and in the spring of this year determined to be effective. Check out Margaret Martin PT and Clint Rubin , developer of the Marodyne. Google them and can find them on YouTube . Good luck!!

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I think the goal is to challenge your muscles so they have to build up and stress your bones (in a good way). This is why walking doesn’t build muscle. It is not enough of a challenge, whereas jogging if it isn’t something you do regularly might build muscle and strengthen bone.

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@vgkime

Hi read the article several times (very informative thank you) but could not find the part regarding higher doses of magnesium with HRT to improve trabecular bone. Can you tell me which paragraph refers to this? Its a lengthy article. Thanks!

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@vgkime “In a study of postmenopausal women on hormone replacement therapy, those who were given a multi-vitamin-mineral supplement containing two times the RDA of magnesium experienced an eleven percent increase in trabecular bone mineral density after one year. This increase in bone mass was sixteen times greater than seen in the control group of women who received no supplemental nutrients. Another study found that nearly seventy-five percent of postmenopausal women who took 250-750 mg. of magnesium daily had an increase in bone mass from one to eight percent over two years. The United States Recommended Daily Allowance (U.S.R.D.A.) for magnesium is probably too low. Other countries recommend people consume up to more than four times more magnesium than the U.S.R.D.A. Probably about seventy percent of Americans consume less than the 300 mg. U.S.R.D.A. for magnesium. Magnesium supplements in the form of glycinate, malate, orotate, aspartate, chloride, and citrate are all good choices.”

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@ans

If WBV means weight bearing vibration - which to me is what I refer to as LIV Low Intensity Vibration….. I would really do your research on what you might consider purchasing as there are specific parameters that are needed to be effective and NOT harmful to you. I have not been on Amazon to look at the offerings , but please take the time to check out the Marodyne LIV. Expensive, but researched, and in the spring of this year determined to be effective. Check out Margaret Martin PT and Clint Rubin , developer of the Marodyne. Google them and can find them on YouTube . Good luck!!

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Thanks. I am still doing my research on WBV machine.
Received the link from Merodyne Sales
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00198-022-06556-y
In abstract it say High frequency =30hz, Low magnitude =0.3gms and higher cumulative dose.

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@judy58

What is the trabecular bone? My osteo is in the spine?

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Trabecular bone is the web-like bone inside your vertebrae. It’s also found in the ends of long bones, such as the femur. Trabecular bone is not measured in a typical DEXA scan. You have to have a DEXA w/ TBS (trabecular bone score) if you want this info. Most DEXA scanners do not have the software required for TBS. Also DEXAs are not true measurements of bone density. Per Dr. Susan Ott, “ The DEXA technique analyzes the attenuation of xrays as they pass through an area of the body. The method cannot detect the depth of the bone which is being measured, and thus is actually an "areal" density in g/cm2 rather than a "volumetric" or Archimedean density in g/cm3.”

I’m a believer in trabecular bone health being a better indicator of overall bone health and risk of spinal fractures.

https://www.betterbones.com/testing/how-accurate-is-a-dexa-bone-density-test/
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