Why Yoga Isn’t Sufficient to Enhance Bone Density

Can yoga really enhance bone density?

In case you ask Google, you’ll discover all types 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, applications, and movies promising that will help you construct higher bones with a low-impact yoga follow. 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 important 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 research that implies yoga can improve bone mineral density (BMD) within the backbone and femoral neck—probably 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 a giant deal within the yoga world and despatched ripples via the broader wellness area.

As a substitute of simply being identified for leisure, yoga may 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 research additionally helped carry yoga additional into the mainstream and validated what many longtime yogis already believed about their beloved follow.

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

What the LIFTMOR Trial Tells Us About Bone Progress

Apparently, the identical yr 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. Members have been cut 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 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 research claimed yoga (additionally low influence) elevated BMD—what provides?

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 have been merely doing 12 poses and monitoring their progress—generally qualitatively (“how do you’re feeling?”), generally quantitatively (through bone scans). With out a management group to check the outcomes to, it’s exhausting 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 robotically disqualify the work, but it surely does increase crimson flags—particularly provided that he earnings from yoga books, applications, and trainings if the findings assist using his services.

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

Each one that participated was already a yoga practitioner once they began. It wasn’t a brand new follow for them, however acquainted. One thing they most likely loved. This could have additionally doubtless impacted how they responded to the yoga poses or have been merely extra inclined to remain dedicated to doing the poses persistently.

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 need to stress bone.

Meaning making use of a certain quantity of strain to bones to stimulate progress.

And as your physique adapts, you will need to improve that strain 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 pressure to considerably improve bone density.

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

Lots of the poses in Dr. Fishman’s research 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 research, Dr. Fishman argued that yoga pits opposing muscle teams in opposition to one another in a method that stimulates bone progress. He wrote:

“By pitting one group of muscle tissues in opposition to one other, yoga exposes bones to better forces and, subsequently, may improve bone mineral density (BMD) greater than different means.”

Sadly, this merely isn’t true.

At greatest, yoga entails bodyweight-only pressure—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 Energy?

Sure—to a degree. However for most individuals—no.

Yoga is a implausible basis for energy, significantly for those who’re new to motion, recovering from damage 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 energy you may acquire. Nevertheless it’s nice for constructing endurance for those who maintain poses for longer than a couple of breaths.

One Follow Can’t Do All the pieces

Let’s be actual: no single follow checks each health field.

Energy coaching builds muscle and bone, but it surely’s not cardio. Biking is nice for cardiovascular well being, but it surely received’t enhance bone density. Dance is enjoyable and expressive and affords 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 type of motion can not do every little thing our our bodies should be wholesome.