Running better than cycling for your bones, suggest study

A new study suggests that running is better for bone health than cycling. Previous Italian research had found that endurance cyclists taking part in the Giro I’Italia experience chronic bone resorption – which means that vital calcium from bones gets released into the blood stream, causing bones to weaken. The same research time wanted to know if there was a similar effect in mountain ultra-marathon runners.

Dr Diovanni Lombardi and his team from the Istituto Ortopedico Galeazzi in Milan conducted a new study where 17 ultramarathon runners underwent tests after a grueling 65m mountain race. These were compared with 12 fit adults of about the same age, who did low to moderate amounts of exercise, but who were not racing that day.

The researchers checked the proteins osteocalcin and P1NP that are good bone health indicators, plus the metabolism and energy regulating hormones glucagon, leptin and insulin.

It was found that after the race the ultramarathon runners had higher levels of glucagon and lower levels of leptin and insulin. Levels of osteocalcin and P1NP were also lower.

This suggests that the runners’ bodies were diverting energy from bone formation to power the high-energy demands of their metabolism, say the researchers. However, because the ultramarathon runners had higher P1NP levels than the non-runners, this meant the energy diversion was a short-term effect while racing, with an overall net gain in bone health.

Dr Lombardi presented the findings at the European Congress of Endocrinology in Germany. He says, “The every-day man and woman need to exercise moderately to maintain health. However, our findings suggest that those at risk of weaker bones might want to take up running rather than swimming or cycling.

“Because running exerts a higher physical load on bone than swimming or cycling, it could be that these forces stimulate bone tissue to signal to the pancreas to help meet its energy needs in the long-term.”

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