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脆弱，更容易断裂的疾病。在澳大利亚，60岁以后，每五名女性中就有三名，每十名男性中就有三名会骨折。当人们髋骨骨折时，他们会失去独立性，移动的也会减少。运动是一种生活方式，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。以前的研究未能清楚地证明锻炼的有用性，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。我们对更年期后的女性进行了两项大型研究，她们进行了举重训练。在先前的研究中，我们发现，那些举起最重重量的女性的骨量增加最多。在最近完成的一项为期两年的研究中，126名妇女，这构成了这一建议的基础，我们发现重量训练计划是有效的增加骨量在臀部，一个常见的骨折部位。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，运动是否会减缓骨骼的分解，或者它是否有助于形成新骨骼？能够回答这个问题的最好方法是通过测量血液中的某些产品，称为骨标记物。骨头在不断地翻转，这些标记物从骨头释放到血液中。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志物，它将帮助我们确定运动是如何影响骨骼的。从我们以前的研究中，我们知道重量训练可以帮助减缓骨质流失。通过测量骨骼标志物，我们将能够向人们提出建议，说明运动如何有助于防止骨质流失。

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.