Why Yoga Isn’t Sufficient to Enhance Bone Density

Can yoga really enhance bone density?

In case you ask Google, you’ll discover all kinds of sources saying sure—yoga is an efficient methodology 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, 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 fundamental 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 means yoga can improve bone mineral density (BMD) within the backbone and femoral neck—probably decreasing the chance of life-threatening fractures in older adults. The research 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 an alternative of simply being identified for leisure, 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 have been already selling. The research additionally helped convey yoga additional into the mainstream and validated what many longtime yogis already believed about their beloved follow.

However the greater query remained: Are the research’s findings legit?

What the LIFTMOR Trial Tells Us About Bone Progress

Curiously, the identical yr Dr. Fishman’s research was revealed, 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 have been break 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 every week for half-hour over an eight-month interval.

The outcomes? There was a vital distinction in bone progress between the low-intensity house group and the supervised energy coaching group. And people outcomes have 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 affect on BMD, however the Fishman research claimed yoga (additionally low affect) elevated BMD—what provides?

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 individuals not doing yoga. They have been merely doing 12 poses and monitoring their progress—generally qualitatively (“how do you are feeling?”), generally quantitatively (through bone scans). With out a management group to check the outcomes to, it’s exhausting 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, but it surely does elevate crimson flags—particularly provided that he income from yoga books, applications, and trainings if the findings assist the usage of his services and products.

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

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

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, you need to stress bone.

Meaning making use of a certain quantity of strain to bones to stimulate progress.

And as your physique adapts, you should improve that strain 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 pressure 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 have been standing, however some have 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 research, Dr. Fishman argued that yoga pits opposing muscle teams in opposition to one another in a method that stimulates bone progress. He wrote:

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

Sadly, this merely isn’t true.

At greatest, yoga entails bodyweight-only pressure—about the identical as strolling your canine. And research repeatedly present that bones want vital load or affect 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 improbable basis for energy, significantly in case you’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 ultimately plateau in how a lot energy you’ll be able to acquire. But it surely’s nice for constructing endurance in case you maintain poses for longer than a number of breaths.

One Follow Can’t Do Every little thing

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

Energy coaching builds muscle and bone, but it surely’s not cardio. Biking is nice for cardiovascular well being, but it surely gained’t enhance bone density. Dance is enjoyable and expressive and gives affect and cardio, however not energy.

Each kind 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 the whole lot 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 are 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/publish/yoga-for-osteoporosis-bone-mineral-density

EPISODE 51: PERSISTENT MYTHS ABOUT OSTEOPOROSIS