Evidence for increased bone formation following a brief endurance-type training intervention in adolescent males

Alon Eliakim*, Lawrence G. Raisz, J. Anne Brasel, Dan M. Cooper

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

119 Scopus citations

Abstract

The effect of exercise training, particularly relatively brief periods, on bone turnover markers in adolescents has been poorly studied. Thirty- eight healthy males (16 ± 0.7 years) participated in a 5-week summer school program in which 20 subjects were randomly assigned to a training group consisting of 2 h/day, 5 days/week of endurance exercise, and 18 subjects were assigned to a control group. Bone formation was assessed by measurements of circulating osteocalcin, bone-specific alkaline phosphatase (BSAP), and the C-terminal procollagen peptide (PICP). Bone resorption was assessed by urinary levels of free deoxypyridinoline cross-links (dPYR) and the C(CTX) and N-terminal (NTX) telopeptide cross-links. Prior to training, there was a weak positive correlation between fitness and PICP (r = 0.27, p < 0.05), but no correlations were observed between fitness and either the other markers of bone formation or bone resorption. Training led to a significant increase in (1) osteocalcin (15 ± 4%, p < 0.03), (2) BSAP (21 ± 6%, p < 0.02), and (3) PICP (30 ± 11%, p < 0.03) and to a significant decrease in NTX (-21 ± 3%, p < 0.05). These bone turnover markers did not change in the control subjects (osteocalcin, 0 ± 4%; BSAP, 2 ± 4%; PICP, -4 ± 6%; NTX, -6 ± 4%). There was no change in urinary dPYR and CTX in either control or trained subjects. Fitness is only weakly, if at all, correlated with bone formation, but a relatively brief period of endurance training leads to a substantial increase in bone formation markers in adolescent males. School-based, short-term exercise training programs could play a role in enhancing bone formation in adolescents.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)1708-1713
Number of pages6
JournalJournal of Bone and Mineral Research
Volume12
Issue number10
DOIs
StatePublished - Oct 1997
Externally publishedYes

Funding

FundersFunder number
National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin DiseasesR01AR031062
National Center for Research ResourcesM01RR000425
Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human DevelopmentR01HD026939

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