Why Yoga Isn’t Sufficient to Enhance Bone Density

Can yoga really enhance bone density?

When you 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 1000’s of hits for books, packages, and movies promising that can assist 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 at least one principal 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 research 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 research was titled, “12-Minute Every 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 study got here out. It was an enormous deal within the yoga world and despatched ripples by means of the broader wellness house.

As a substitute 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 had been already selling. The research additionally helped deliver yoga additional into the mainstream and validated what many longtime yogis already believed about their beloved observe.

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

What the LIFTMOR Trial Tells Us About Bone Development

Curiously, the identical 12 months Dr. Fishman’s research 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 had been break up into two teams: one did low-impact motion at dwelling, 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 progress between the low-intensity dwelling group and the supervised energy coaching group. And people outcomes had 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 offers?

Why Dr. Fishman’s Research Falls Brief

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 had 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 check the outcomes to, it’s onerous 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, however it does elevate purple flags—particularly provided that he earnings from yoga books, packages, and trainings if the findings help the usage of his services.

4. It’s not a blind or double blind research.

Each one that participated was already a yoga practitioner after they began. It wasn’t a brand new observe for them, however acquainted. One thing they in all probability loved. This might have additionally doubtless impacted how they responded to the yoga poses or had 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 must stress bone.

Which means making use of a specific amount of stress to bones to stimulate progress.

And as your physique adapts, you have to enhance that stress 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 drive to considerably enhance bone density.

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

Lots of the poses in Dr. Fishman’s research had been standing, however some had 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 towards one another in a means 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, would possibly improve bone mineral density (BMD) greater than different means.”

Sadly, this merely isn’t true.

At finest, 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 unbelievable basis for energy, notably should 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 ultimately plateau in how a lot energy you may acquire. Nevertheless it’s nice for constructing endurance should you maintain poses for longer than a number of breaths.

One Apply Can’t Do All the pieces

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 provides impression and cardio, however not energy.

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 all the things our our bodies should be wholesome.