University of Missouri researchers have found that certain types of weight-lifting and jumping exercises can help middle aged men in reversing age related bone loss.

Usually men lose bone mass as they age but by facilitating bone growth, these exercises may help prevent osteoporosis which is a condition that makes bones weak and prone to breakage. To prove this the researchers studied 38 physically active, middle-aged men who completed either a weight-lifting programme or a jumping programme for a year. Both programmes required participants to complete 60-120 minutes of targeted exercises each week.

Calcium and vitamin D supplements were supplied to the participants throughout the study. The researchers periodically measured the men's bone mass at the beginning of the study and again at six and 12 months using specialised X-ray scans of the whole body, hip and lumbar spine.

After the analysis, the researchers found that the bone mass of the whole body and lumbar spine significantly increased after six months of completing the weight-lifting or jumping programmes, and this increase was maintained at 12 months.

The study is published in Bone.

By Lizitha