As little as 120 minutes of walking or other exercise was associated with biomarkers of bone strength in premenopausal women, according to the results of a cross-sectional study. An 8-week physical activity intervention program significantly increased biomarkers of bone strength compared with sedentary control patients.

Mohammed-Salleh M. Ardawi, PhD, FRCPath, from King Abdulaziz University Hospital in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, and colleagues report their results in an article published online August 3 in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism.

“Physical activity is good for bone health and results in lowering sclerostin, a known inhibitor of bone formation and enhancing IGF-1 levels, a positive effector on bone health,” Dr. Ardawi said in a news release. “We also found physical activity training that enhances mechanical loading in combination with anabolic therapeutic agents will have added positive effect on bone health, particularly bone formation.”… [Continue Reading]