Resistance training linked to greater bone strength in adults eating a vegan diet
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Adults who eat a vegan diet and perform resistance training at least once per week have stronger bone microarchitecture than vegans who do not perform resistance training, according to study findings.
“We hypothesized based on current literature that vegans might have a different bone microarchitecture,” Christian Muschitz, MD, associate professor in Medical Department II at St. Vincent Hospital, Academic Teaching Hospital of the Medical University of Vienna, told Healio. “The plant-based lifestyle is a global trend, and lower bone mineral density and increased fracture risk in vegan people have been reported. Bone microarchitecture in vegans differed from matched omnivores but could not be explained solely by differences in nutrients intake. These differences were attenuated between the subgroups reporting resistance training. In addition to a well-planned diet, progressive resistance training on a regular basis should be part of the vegan lifestyle.”
Muschitz and colleagues enrolled adults aged 30 to 50 years who reported eating a vegan diet for at least 5 years to participated in an observational study. Participants were matched with a cohort of adults who consumed an omnivore diet. All participants underwent high-resolution peripheral quantitative CT to measure BMD and bone microarchitecture. Serum bone turnover markers were obtained through immunoassay following an overnight fast. Nutrients were measured through a standardized food diary conducted during two 4-day periods across two different seasons. Physical activity was self-reported. Participants were considered to have performed resistance training regularly if they reported at least one training session per week.
The findings were published in The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism.
There were 88 adults included in the study (mean age, 39.2 years; 51% men), of whom 43 consumed a vegan diet and 45 ate an omnivore diet. There were 20 participants in the vegan group and 25 in the omnivore group who regularly performed resistance training. Compared with the omnivore group, adults in the vegan group had lower trabecular bone volume fraction and cortical thickness at the radius and tibia, as well as lower total BMD, cortical BMD, trabecular BMD and trabecular thickness at the tibia.
Among adults who did not participate in resistance training, vegans had diminished bone microarchitecture compared with omnivores. No difference in bone microarchitecture was observed between vegans and omnivores who regularly performed resistance training. Bone structure differed between those who did resistance training and those who did not perform resistance training in both the vegan and omnivores groups, but the difference was stronger among vegans. The duration of vegan diet did not have an influence on bone microarchitecture.
Among vegans, those who performed resistance training had significantly higher cross-linked C-telopeptide levels than those who did not perform resistance training. There was no difference in nutrient intake among vegans who did resistance training vs. those who did not perform resistance training.
“Further research with a large number of people is warranted to explore a possible elevated risk for fragility fracture in a vegan population,” Muschitz said.
For more information:
Christian Muschitz, MD, can be reached at christian.muschitz@bhs.at.
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