Why Yoga Isn’t Sufficient to Enhance Bone Density

Can yoga really enhance bone density?

For those who ask Google, you’ll discover all kinds of assets 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 hundreds 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 primary supply: the work of Dr. Loren Fishman, creator of a number of books together with Yoga for Osteoporosis. He’s additionally the co-author of a 2015 examine that means yoga can enhance bone mineral density (BMD) within the backbone and femoral neck—doubtlessly decreasing the danger of life-threatening fractures in older adults. The examine was titled, “12-Minute Every day Yoga Routine Reverses Osteoporotic Bone Loss.”

The Examine That Made Waves within the Yoga World

I keep 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 via the broader wellness area.

As an alternative of simply being recognized for rest, yoga might 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 examine 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 examine’s findings legit?

What the LIFTMOR Trial Tells Us About Bone Progress

Apparently, the identical 12 months Dr. Fishman’s examine 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 have been cut 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 power 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 examine claimed yoga (additionally low affect) elevated BMD—what provides?

Why Dr. Fishman’s Examine Falls Quick

There are a number of flaws in Dr. Fishman’s examine 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 no management group to check the outcomes to, it’s laborious to attract dependable conclusions from the findings on this examine.

2. The examine 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 examine himself. That doesn’t routinely disqualify the work, however it 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 examine.

Each one that participated was already a yoga practitioner once they began. It wasn’t a brand new observe for them, however acquainted. One thing they most likely loved. This may 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 components restrict the examine’s validity and scientific rigor.

The Actual Science Behind Constructing Bone Density

Right here’s what we do know: to construct bone, you must stress bone.

Which means making use of a certain quantity of stress to bones to stimulate progress.

And as your physique adapts, you should enhance that stress 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 enhance bone density.

Let’s Get Sensible: What Yoga Can (and Can’t) Do

Most of the poses in Dr. Fishman’s examine 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 examine, Dr. Fishman argued that yoga pits opposing muscle teams towards one another in a method that stimulates bone progress. He wrote:

“By pitting one group of muscle groups towards one other, yoga exposes bones to larger forces and, due to this fact, may 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 Power?

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

Yoga is a improbable basis for power, significantly should you’re new to motion, recovering from damage 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 finally plateau in how a lot power you may achieve. But it surely’s nice for constructing endurance should you maintain poses for longer than a number of breaths.

One Observe Can’t Do The whole lot

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

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

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 fashion of motion can’t do every little thing our our bodies have to be wholesome.