Can yoga really enhance bone density?
If you happen to ask Google, you’ll discover all types of assets 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 1000’s of hits for books, packages, and movies promising that will help you construct higher bones with a low-impact yoga observe. 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 important 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 research 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 research was titled, “12-Minute Each 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 research got here out. It was a giant deal within the yoga world and despatched ripples via the broader wellness house.
As an alternative 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 academics now had scientific backing for what they had been already selling. The research additionally helped carry yoga additional into the mainstream and validated what many longtime yogis already believed about their beloved observe.
However the larger query remained: Are the research’s findings legit?
What the LIFTMOR Trial Tells Us About Bone Development
Curiously, the identical 12 months Dr. Fishman’s research was printed, so was the LIFTMOR trial.
The LIFTMOR trial additionally studied osteoporosis—particularly in postmenopausal ladies with no vital historical past of train and low bone mineral density. Individuals had been break up into two teams: one did low-impact motion at residence, whereas the opposite did supervised high-intensity progressive resistance coaching (HiPRT). Every group exercised twice every week for half-hour over an eight-month interval.
The outcomes? There was a vital distinction in bone development between the low-intensity residence group and the supervised energy coaching group. And people outcomes had been replicated in a number of related trials that adopted.
Even higher? The resistance coaching group had no accidents reported.
So, if low-impact motion had minimal influence on BMD, however the Fishman research claimed yoga (additionally low influence) elevated BMD—what offers?
Why Dr. Fishman’s Research Falls Brief
There are a number of flaws in Dr. Fishman’s research 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 folks not doing yoga. They had been merely doing 12 poses and monitoring their progress—generally qualitatively (“how do you’re feeling?”), generally quantitatively (by way of bone scans). With no management group to check the outcomes to, it’s onerous to attract dependable conclusions from the findings on this research.
2. The research 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 research himself. That doesn’t routinely disqualify the work, nevertheless it does increase purple flags—particularly on condition that he income from yoga books, packages, and trainings if the findings help the usage of his services.
4. It’s not a blind or double blind research.
Each one who participated was already a yoga practitioner once they began. It wasn’t a brand new observe 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 persistently.
Collectively, these elements restrict the research’s validity and scientific rigor.
The Actual Science Behind Constructing Bone Density
Right here’s what we do know: to construct bone, it’s important to stress bone.
Which means 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 influence 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
Most of the poses in Dr. Fishman’s research had been standing, however some had been seated. One was supine and inactive—savasanapose #12.
If seated and supine positions constructed stronger bones, we’d all be rising BMD whereas driving or sleeping.
Within the research, Dr. Fishman argued that yoga pits opposing muscle teams in opposition to one another in a means that stimulates bone development. He wrote:
“By pitting one group of muscle tissue in opposition to one other, yoga exposes bones to larger forces and, subsequently, would possibly improve bone mineral density (BMD) greater than different means.”
Sadly, this merely isn’t true.
At greatest, yoga includes bodyweight-only power—about the identical as strolling your canine. And research repeatedly present that bones want vital load or influence to develop: issues like lifting heavy weights or leaping.
So, Can Yoga Assist You Construct Energy?
Sure—to some extent. However for most individuals—no.
Yoga is a incredible basis for energy, notably for those who’re new to motion, recovering from damage or sickness, or engaged on reconnecting together with your physique.
As a result of it makes use of body weight solely (plus gravity), you’ll finally plateau in how a lot energy you’ll be able to acquire. However it’s nice for constructing endurance for those who maintain poses for longer than a couple of breaths.
One Observe Can’t Do The whole lot
Let’s be actual: no single observe checks each health field.
Energy coaching builds muscle and bone, nevertheless it’s not cardio. Biking is nice for cardiovascular well being, nevertheless it gained’t enhance bone density. Dance is enjoyable and expressive and provides influence and cardio, however not energy.
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 model of motion can’t 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 harassed.
-
It improves your flexibility and stability.
Do it for all these lovely causes and extra.
However don’t do yoga anticipating it to extend your bone density. It gained’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
