Why Yoga Isn’t Sufficient to Enhance Bone Density

Can yoga really enhance bone density?

In case you ask Google, you’ll discover all kinds of assets saying sure—yoga is an efficient technique 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 1 foremost supply: the work of Dr. Loren Fishman, writer of a number of books together with Yoga for Osteoporosis. He’s additionally the co-author of a 2015 examine that implies yoga can improve bone mineral density (BMD) within the backbone and femoral neck—doubtlessly lowering the danger of life-threatening fractures in older adults. The examine was titled, “12-Minute Day by day Yoga Routine Reverses Osteoporotic Bone Loss.”

The Research That Made Waves within the Yoga World

I bear 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 by 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 lecturers 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 greater query remained: Are the examine’s findings legit?

What the LIFTMOR Trial Tells Us About Bone Progress

Curiously, 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. Members have been break 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 every week for half-hour over an eight-month interval.

The outcomes? There was a vital distinction in bone progress between the low-intensity residence group and the supervised energy 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 influence on BMD, however the Fishman examine claimed yoga (additionally low influence) elevated BMD—what provides?

Why Dr. Fishman’s Research 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 folks not doing yoga. They have been merely doing 12 poses and monitoring their progress—typically qualitatively (“how do you are feeling?”), typically quantitatively (through bone scans). With no management group to check 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 robotically disqualify the work, however it does increase purple flags—particularly provided that he income from yoga books, packages, and trainings if the findings help the usage of his services and products.

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 in all probability loved. This is able to 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 elements 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 important to stress bone.

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

And as your physique adapts, you should improve 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 power to considerably improve bone density.

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

Lots 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 growing BMD whereas driving or sleeping.

Within the examine, Dr. Fishman argued that yoga pits opposing muscle teams towards one another in a approach that stimulates bone progress. He wrote:

“By pitting one group of muscular tissues towards one other, yoga exposes bones to higher forces and, due to this fact, may improve bone mineral density (BMD) greater than different means.”

Sadly, this merely isn’t true.

At finest, yoga entails bodyweight-only power—about the identical as strolling your canine. And research repeatedly present that bones want vital load or influence 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 implausible basis for energy, notably in the event you’re new to motion, recovering from harm 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 ultimately plateau in how a lot energy you may achieve. Nevertheless it’s nice for constructing endurance in the event you maintain poses for longer than a couple of breaths.

One Apply Can’t Do Every part

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 influence and cardio, however not energy.

Each kind 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 thing our our bodies must be wholesome.