Can yoga really enhance bone density?
In the event you ask Google, you’ll discover all kinds 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 hundreds of hits for books, packages, and movies promising that can assist 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 fundamental 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—probably lowering the chance of life-threatening fractures in older adults. The examine was titled, “12-Minute Each day Yoga Routine Reverses Osteoporotic Bone Loss.”
The Research That Made Waves within the Yoga World
I keep in mind when the information of Dr. Fishman’s examine got here out. It was an enormous deal within the yoga world and despatched ripples by way of the broader wellness house.
As an alternative of simply being identified 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 convey yoga additional into the mainstream and validated what many longtime yogis already believed about their beloved apply.
However the larger query remained: Are the examine’s findings legit?
What the LIFTMOR Trial Tells Us About Bone Development
Curiously, the identical yr 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 residence, whereas the opposite did supervised high-intensity progressive resistance coaching (HiPRT). Every group exercised twice per week for half-hour over an eight-month interval.
The outcomes? There was a vital 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 related 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 examine claimed yoga (additionally low impression) elevated BMD—what offers?
Why Dr. Fishman’s Research Falls Brief
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’re feeling?”), generally quantitatively (by way of bone scans). With out a management group to match the outcomes to, it’s exhausting 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 mechanically disqualify the work, but it surely does increase purple flags—particularly provided that he earnings from yoga books, packages, and trainings if the findings help using 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 apply for them, however acquainted. One thing they most likely loved. This could 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 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, it’s a must to stress bone.
Meaning making use of a specific amount of strain to bones to stimulate development.
And as your physique adapts, you should enhance that strain over time. That is what progressive overload is all about—rising the burden or impression to maintain your bones responding and getting stronger.
Put merely, yoga doesn’t apply sufficient drive 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 manner that stimulates bone development. He wrote:
“By pitting one group of muscle tissues towards one other, yoga exposes bones to better forces and, due to this fact, would possibly improve bone mineral density (BMD) greater than different means.”
Sadly, this merely isn’t true.
At greatest, yoga entails bodyweight-only drive—about the identical as strolling your canine. And research repeatedly present that bones want vital load or impression to develop: issues like lifting heavy weights or leaping.
So, Can Yoga Assist You Construct Power?
Sure—to a degree. However for most individuals—no.
Yoga is a improbable basis for power, significantly in case you’re new to motion, recovering from harm or sickness, or engaged on reconnecting together 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 possibly can achieve. Nevertheless it’s nice for constructing endurance in case you maintain poses for longer than a couple of breaths.
One Observe 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 gained’t enhance bone density. Dance is enjoyable and expressive and provides 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 model of motion can’t do every part our our bodies have to be wholesome.
Do Yoga for the Proper Causes
Do yoga as a result of:
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It feels good in your physique.
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It strengthens your mind-body connection.
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It helps you’re feeling grounded and fewer pressured.
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It improves your flexibility and stability.
Do it for all these lovely causes and extra.
However don’t do yoga anticipating it to extend your bone density. It gained’t. —Naomi
References:
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4851231/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26243363/
https://www.karinweinstein.com/put up/yoga-for-osteoporosis-bone-mineral-density
