Why Yoga Isn’t Sufficient to Enhance Bone Density

Can yoga truly enhance bone density?

For those who ask Google, you’ll discover all kinds of sources saying sure—yoga is an efficient technique for constructing bone density and stopping osteoporotic fractures, like hip or femur breaks from falls.

A seek for “Yoga for Osteoporosis” pulls up hundreds of hits for books, applications, and movies promising that can assist you construct higher bones with a low-impact yoga follow. Even Yoga with Adriene has a “Yoga for Bone Well being” video on her channel, which reaches over 12 million subscribers.

However most of these hyperlinks hint again to 1 foremost supply: the work of Dr. Loren Fishman, writer of a number of books together with Yoga for Osteoporosis. He’s additionally the co-author of a 2015 examine that implies yoga can improve bone mineral density (BMD) within the backbone and femoral neck—doubtlessly decreasing the chance of life-threatening fractures in older adults. The examine was titled, “12-Minute Day by day Yoga Routine Reverses Osteoporotic Bone Loss.”

The Research That Made Waves within the Yoga World

I keep in mind when the information of Dr. Fishman’s study got here out. It was an enormous deal within the yoga world and despatched ripples by the broader wellness house.

As a substitute of simply being identified for rest, yoga may now be seen as a one-stop-shop for all of your health wants.

It was nice information for yoga practitioners—and nice for enterprise, too. Studios and lecturers now had scientific backing for what they had been already selling. The examine additionally helped deliver yoga additional into the mainstream and validated what many longtime yogis already believed about their beloved follow.

However the larger query remained: Are the examine’s findings legit?

What the LIFTMOR Trial Tells Us About Bone Progress

Apparently, the identical yr Dr. Fishman’s examine was printed, so was the LIFTMOR trial.

The LIFTMOR trial additionally studied osteoporosis—particularly in postmenopausal ladies with no important historical past of train and low bone mineral density. Members had been cut up into two teams: one did low-impact motion at house, whereas the opposite did supervised high-intensity progressive resistance coaching (HiPRT). Every group exercised twice per week for half-hour over an eight-month interval.

The outcomes? There was a important distinction in bone development between the low-intensity house group and the supervised power coaching group. And people outcomes had been replicated in a number of comparable trials that adopted.

Even higher? The resistance coaching group had no accidents reported.

So, if low-impact motion had minimal impression on BMD, however the Fishman examine claimed yoga (additionally low impression) elevated BMD—what offers?

Why Dr. Fishman’s Research Falls Brief

There are a number of flaws in Dr. Fishman’s examine that make the outcomes much less scientifically legitimate.

1. No management group. This implies they’re not evaluating the outcomes of individuals doing yoga to individuals not doing yoga. They had been merely doing 12 poses and monitoring their progress—typically qualitatively (“how do you’re feeling?”), typically quantitatively (through bone scans). With out a management group to check the outcomes to, it’s arduous to attract dependable conclusions from the findings on this examine.

2. The examine hasn’t been independently replicated. It lacks sufficient element for others to breed it and validate the findings.

3. Potential for bias. Dr. Fishman funded the examine himself. That doesn’t robotically disqualify the work, but it surely does increase pink flags—particularly on condition that he earnings from yoga books, applications, and trainings if the findings assist using his services.

4. It’s not a blind or double blind examine.

Each one that participated was already a yoga practitioner once they began. It wasn’t a brand new follow for them, however acquainted. One thing they in all probability loved. This could have additionally doubtless impacted how they responded to the yoga poses or had been merely extra inclined to remain dedicated to doing the poses constantly.

Collectively, these elements restrict the examine’s validity and scientific rigor.

The Actual Science Behind Constructing Bone Density

Right here’s what we do know: to construct bone, you need to stress bone.

Meaning making use of a specific amount of stress to bones to stimulate development.

And as your physique adapts, it’s essential to improve that stress over time. That is what progressive overload is all about—rising the burden or impact to maintain your bones responding and getting stronger.

Put merely, yoga doesn’t apply sufficient power to considerably improve bone density.

Let’s Get Sensible: What Yoga Can (and Can’t) Do

Lots of the poses in Dr. Fishman’s examine had been standing, however some had been seated. One was supine and inactive—savasana, pose #12.

If seated and supine positions constructed stronger bones, we’d all be rising BMD whereas driving or sleeping.

Within the examine, Dr. Fishman argued that yoga pits opposing muscle teams in opposition to one another in a approach that stimulates bone development. He wrote:

“By pitting one group of muscle groups in opposition to one other, yoga exposes bones to better forces and, due to this fact, may improve bone mineral density (BMD) greater than different means.”

Sadly, this merely isn’t true.

At finest, yoga entails bodyweight-only power—about the identical as strolling your canine. And research repeatedly present that bones want important load or impression to develop: issues like lifting heavy weights or leaping.

So, Can Yoga Assist You Construct Power?

Sure—to some extent. However for most individuals—no.

Yoga is a unbelievable basis for power, significantly in the event you’re new to motion, recovering from harm or sickness, or engaged on reconnecting along with your physique.

As a result of it makes use of body weight solely (plus gravity), you’ll ultimately plateau in how a lot power you’ll be able to acquire. However it’s nice for constructing endurance in the event you maintain poses for longer than a number of breaths.

One Follow Can’t Do All the pieces

Let’s be actual: no single follow checks each health field.

Power coaching builds muscle and bone, but it surely’s not cardio. Biking is nice for cardiovascular well being, but it surely received’t enhance bone density. Dance is enjoyable and expressive and provides impression and cardio, however not power.

Each sort of motion has its strengths and limitations—and that’s okay.

The purpose is solely to say that our our bodies want selection and one fashion of motion can not do every thing our our bodies must be wholesome.

Do Yoga for the Proper Causes

Do yoga as a result of:

• It feels good in your physique.

• It strengthens your mind-body connection.

• It helps you’re feeling grounded and fewer pressured.

• It improves your flexibility and steadiness.

Do it for all these stunning causes and extra.

However don’t do yoga anticipating it to extend your bone density. It received’t. —Naomi

References:

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4851231/

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26243363/

https://www.karinweinstein.com/submit/yoga-for-osteoporosis-bone-mineral-density

EPISODE 51: PERSISTENT MYTHS ABOUT OSTEOPOROSIS