Heavy vs. light resistance training for bone health Original paper

In this randomized controlled trial in postmenopausal women with osteopenia, performing resistance exercise with heavier loads, compared to lighter loads, increased bone mineral density.

Whether performing resistance exercise with heavier loads is better than lighter loads for improving bone health in postmenopausal women with osteopenia.

The outcomes assessed were changes in bone mineral density (BMD) and bone mineral content (BMC) of the lumbar spine and the neck of the femur (measured using DXA).

45 postmenopausal women (ages 50–60) with osteopenia living in Iran.

The participants had not performed regular exercise in the past 6 months before entering the study.

In this 24-week randomized controlled trial, the participants were assigned to a high-intensity (HI) resistance exercise group, a low-intensity (LI) resistance exercise group, or a no-exercise control group.

The participants performed resistance exercise 3 times per week. In HI, each exercise was performed using 70%–85% of 1-repetition maximum for 8 repetitions, while in LI, each exercise was performed using 40%–60% of 1-repetition maximum for 16 repetitions. The intensity of exercise was gradually increased over the course of the study.

Compared to the control and LI groups, BMD of the lumbar spine, BMC of the lumbar spine, and BMC of the femur were higher in the HI group at the end of the study. Also, BMD of the femur was higher in the HI group than the control group at the end of the study, but it was not different from the LI group.

Compared to the control group, BMD of the lumbar spine, BMC of the lumbar spine, and BMC of the femur were higher in the LI group at the end of the study.

A limitation of this study is that it did not monitor the participants’ dietary intake. Several nutrients, like calcium, vitamin D, and protein, have the potential to affect bone health. As such, differences in dietary intake between groups could have influenced the results.