The effects of a two year randomised exercise intervention on markers of bone turnover in postmenopausal women

骨质疏松症是一种骨骼变得更加脆弱，更容易骨折的情况。在澳大利亚，60岁以后，五分之三的女性和十分之三的男性会骨折。当人们髋部骨折时，他们会失去独立性，行动不便。锻炼是一种生活方式，可以通过减缓骨质流失和保持肌肉强壮来帮助预防骨质疏松症。之前的研究一直未能清楚地证明锻炼的益处，部分原因是很难让人们锻炼至少一年，这是骨骼研究必须进行的时间。我们对绝经后的女性进行了两项大型研究，其中她们进行了举重训练。在之前的研究中，我们发现那些举重最重的女性骨量增加最多。在最近完成的一项对126名女性的为期两年的研究中，我们发现举重训练计划在增加髋部骨量方面有效，髋部是常见的骨折部位。健身组没有表现出任何增加。因此，尽管我们已经能够证明这种类型的运动有助于增加骨量，但我们不知道骨骼如何对此做出反应。我们希望通过这项建议解决的问题是，锻炼是减缓骨骼分解，还是有助于形成新的骨骼？能够回答这个问题的最好方法是测量血液中的某些产品，即所谓的骨标志物。骨骼不断翻转，这些标志物从骨骼释放到血液中。通过研究两年多来从受试者身上采集的血液样本中的这些骨骼标记物，将有助于我们确定运动是如何影响骨骼的。从我们之前的研究中我们知道，举重训练可以帮助减缓骨质流失。通过测量骨骼标记，我们将能够就运动如何帮助防止骨质流失向人们提出建议。

Osteoporosis is a condition where the bones become more fragile and can break more easily. In Australia after age 60, three out of every five women and three out of every ten men will fracture a bone. When people fracture a hip they lose their independence and become much less mobile. Exercise is one lifestyle approach which may help in preventing osteoporosis by slowing bone loss and keeping the muscles strong. Previous research has not been able to clearly demonstrate the usefulness of exercise due partly to the difficulty in getting people to exercise for a least one year, which is how long bone studies must be carried out for. We have conducted two large research studies in women past the menopause where they have done weight training exercises. In the previous study we showed the greatest increase in bone mass occurred in those women lifting the heaviest weights. In a recently completed two year study in 126 woman, which forms the basis of this proposal, we found a weight training program was effective at increasing the bone mass at the hip, a common fracture site. The fitness group did not show any increase. So although we have been able to show this type of exercise helps increase bone mass we don't know how the bone is able to respond to this. The question we wish to address with this proposal is does exercise slow the breakdown of bone or does it help form new bone? The best way to be able to answer this question is by measuring certain products in blood, known as bone markers. Bone is continually turning overthese markers are released from bone into the blood. By studying these bone markers in blood samples taken from the subjects over two years it will helps us determine how exercise is affecting bone. From our previous studies we know that weight training can help slow bone loss. By measuring the bone markers we will then be able to make recommendations to people on how exercise will help prevent bone loss.