Exercise that puts greater strain on bones, like running, may improve long-term bone health more effectively than non weight-bearing activities like cycling, conclude the authors of a new study measuring the hormones of mountain ultra-marathon runners. The results of the study are presented today at the European Congress of Endocrinology.
Previous research from the Istituto Ortopedico Galeazzi in Milan found that cyclists racing in ultra-endurance conditions suffered chronic bone resorption — where calcium from bone is released into the blood stream, weakening bones. In this study, the same group set to find out whether a similar group of elite athletes — mountain ultra-marathon runners — had the same response.
