Researchers show the BEST way to reduce osteoporosis risk

Act on the Surgeon General’s bone health report

It’s one of the first demonstrations on how to take care of your bones since the Surgeon General warned that half the population is likely to be at risk for osteoporosis unless they take action. Experts are putting prevention on display today at a fitness center in midtown Manhattan. Leaders in fitness and nutrition are demonstrating exactly how participants in the BEST Study, a four-year investigation conducted at the University of Arizona (UA), improved their bone mineral density (BMD) using two essentials: calcium and weight-bearing exercise. Specially-trained Bally fitness instructors are showing the bone building techniques to exercisers of all ages.

Data from the UA Bone Estrogen Strength Training (BEST) Study showed that a regimen of twice-a-day calcium citrate supplementation (Citracal®) and three-times weekly resistance training improved bone density in postmenopausal women whether or not they took estrogen. Findings presented at the October meeting of the American Society for Bone and Mineral Research (ASBMR) demonstrated that the amount of weight lifted by calcium-supplemented women can be predictive of bone health.

Bone Health Specialists Urge Action

Today, Miriam Nelson, PhD, author of the Strong Women book series, will join study investigators from the UA Center for Physical Activity and Nutrition, Timothy Lohman, PhD, Center director and Lauve Metcalfe, intervention coordinator who, along with Bally fitness trainer Nikki Kimbrough and her expert team, will coach guests in the BEST way to improve bone health and help prevent osteoporosis. In remarking on the results of the BEST Study, Dr. Nelson said, “Bone health improved. No one had to eat differently–they just took calcium citrate supplements to ensure adequate intake–and did the weight bearing workouts. They all increased their fracture resistance.”

The findings of the BEST Study provide evidence on how nutrition and exercise can help make bone health a reality. Judith Cranford, Executive Director of the National Osteoporosis Foundation, urges women and men to take action. “There are 44 million Americans with osteoporosis or low bone mass and this number will only increase if we do not take action. By taking simple steps including eating a balanced diet with plenty of calcium and Vitamin D, and engaging in weight-bearing exercise, we can each reduce our personal risk of osteoporosis and fractures.”

The BEST Study Regimen

The BEST bone health regimen is focused on building BMD in typically vulnerable areas of the spine and hip. The program includes daily calcium citrate supplementation (800 mg) to ensure adequate intake and three-times-a-week sessions of 20 to 25 minutes of resistance training–two sets of six to eight repetitions–using six core exercises:

1. Back Extension
2. Lat Pull Down
3. Leg Press
4. One-Arm Military Press
5. Seated Row
6. Wall or Smith Squat

Seven to ten minutes of cardiovascular weight-bearing activity, such as weighted walking, stair climbing and jogging, and small muscle group exercises involving therabands and physio-balls round out the study regimen. The key to achieving the goal of improved bone health is in the intensity of the weight-bearing workout and the level of the resistance training. Progressively increasing the weight lifted and consistently exercising two to three times a week are essential for success.

The findings of the BEST study come at a time when bone health is in the forefront of many American’s minds. The Surgeon General’s report indicated the need for osteoporosis prevention. Richard H. Carmona, MD, MPH, the Surgeon General, has been encouraging Americans to improve diet and exercise.

Mission Pharmacal, makers of Citracal, the calcium citrate used in the BEST Study, sponsors the BEST osteoporosis education initiative, joined by Bally Fitness Center, whose personal trainers are specially trained in the BEST techniques.

About Citracal Calcium Citrate

Citracal is the trademark name of a highly soluble calcium citrate supplement that is readily absorbed by the body. Many physicians recommend Citracal calcium citrate as one of the best absorbed, most easily digestible forms of supplemental calcium. It is a logical choice for older individuals because acid production decreases with age, reducing the body’s ability to utilize dietary calcium. Citracal caplets also are available formulated with Vitamin D. Vitamin D helps calcium absorption and is a recommended supplement when daily exposure to sunshine is restricted.

About Mission Pharmacal

Mission Pharmacal, the makers of the Citracal brand of calcium citrate supplement, is a family-owned pharmaceutical company based in San Antonio, TX.

Citracal calcium citrate supplements are sold in drugstores and pharmacies nationwide