Build Your Bones - At Any Age

Posted February 25, 2008 at 06:00 PM by Katie Drummond

Section: Her Fitness, Her Health, Her Motivation, Her News

The benefits of strength training for women are often touted by medical experts - even two sessions of moderate weight lifting each week can, they say, help prevent bone loss and stave off osteoporosis. But can older women still reap the rewards of building muscle strength? Can it ever be “too late” to bother? Dr. Gabe Mirkin offers up the results of one new study.

An interesting study from the University of British Columbia showed that lifting weights strengthens the bones of women in their late sixties. The women were asked to use several weight machines three times a week for one year. At the end of that year, the women gained a tremendous amount of muscle strength, and they also had denser bones.

If a woman lives long enough, she will certainly develop osteoporosis which can shorten her life. This study shows that it is never too late to strengthen bones. If she already has osteoporosis, her doctor may advise bone-strengthening drugs such as Fosamax or calcitonin. Whether or not she takes drugs or supplements, she should start an weight-lifting exercise program. Join a gym that has weight-training machines and pick six to ten of the machines. Do a set of eight movements in a row on the first machine, rest a few seconds and then do two more sets of eight. Do this on each of the machines. Repeat this routine two or three times a week. It’s never too late to start. This post is written by Dr. Gabe Mirkin, M.D. and used with permission.  Dr. Mirkin is board certified in Sports Medicine and has practiced for over 40 years. For more articles by Dr. Mirkin, click here.