Why Yoga Isn’t Sufficient to Enhance Bone Density

Can yoga really enhance bone density?

If you happen to ask Google, you’ll discover all types 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, packages, and movies promising that will help you construct higher bones with a low-impact yoga apply. 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 at least one foremost 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 lowering 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 Examine That Made Waves within the Yoga World

I bear in mind when the information of Dr. Fishman’s study got here out. It was a giant deal within the yoga world and despatched ripples by the broader wellness area.

As an alternative of simply being recognized 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 carry yoga additional into the mainstream and validated what many longtime yogis already believed about their beloved apply.

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

What the LIFTMOR Trial Tells Us About Bone Development

Curiously, the identical yr Dr. Fishman’s research was printed, so was the LIFTMOR trial.

The LIFTMOR trial additionally studied osteoporosis—particularly in postmenopausal girls with no important historical past of train and low bone mineral density. Contributors have 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 important distinction in bone development between the low-intensity residence group and the supervised power coaching group. And people outcomes have been replicated in a number of comparable trials that adopted.

Even higher? The resistance coaching group had no accidents reported.

So, if low-impact motion had minimal impression on BMD, however the Fishman research claimed yoga (additionally low impression) elevated BMD—what provides?

Why Dr. Fishman’s Examine Falls Quick

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—typically qualitatively (“how do you’re feeling?”), typically quantitatively (by way of bone scans). With no management group to check the outcomes to, it’s laborious 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 increase crimson flags—particularly provided that he income from yoga books, packages, and trainings if the findings assist 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 apply for them, however acquainted. One thing they in all probability loved. This might have additionally seemingly 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 development.

And as your physique adapts, you need to improve that strain over time. That is what progressive overload is all about—growing the burden or impact 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 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 growing 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 development. He wrote:

“By pitting one group of muscle tissues 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 finest, yoga entails bodyweight-only power—about the identical as strolling your canine. And research repeatedly present that bones want important load or impression to develop: issues like lifting heavy weights or leaping.

So, Can Yoga Assist You Construct Power?

Sure—to some extent. However for most individuals—no.

Yoga is a incredible basis for power, significantly should you’re new to motion, recovering from harm or sickness, or engaged on reconnecting along with your physique.

As a result of it makes use of body weight solely (plus gravity), you’ll ultimately plateau in how a lot power you’ll be able to achieve. But it surely’s nice for constructing endurance should you maintain poses for longer than a couple of breaths.

One Follow Can’t Do The whole lot

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

Power coaching builds muscle and bone, but it surely’s not cardio. Biking is nice for cardiovascular well being, but it surely received’t enhance bone density. Dance is enjoyable and expressive and affords impression and cardio, however not power.

Each sort of motion has its strengths and limitations—and that’s okay.

The purpose is just to say that our our bodies want selection and one fashion of motion can’t do every part our our bodies should be wholesome.