EFFECTS OF PHYSICAL EXERCISE ON SOME PARAMETERS OF BONE METABOLISM INPOSTMENOPAUSAL WOMEN

This study was performed on 19 postmenopausal female volunteers in a p eriod of five months of moderate physical exercise in order to examine beneficial changes in muscle strength and flexibility as well as chan ges in sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG) and other parameters relate d to bone metabolism. While SHBG decreased significantly (from 56.0 +/ - 20.0 to 43.9 +/- 16.1 nM, P = 0.009) phosphorus and urea increased ( from 2.8 +/- 0.4 to 4.0 +/- 0.5 mg/dl, P = 0.00006 and from 32.1 +/- 9 .4 to 42.3 +/- 11.0 mg/dl, P = 0.03, respectively). These changes were accompanied by significant increases in muscle strength and flexibili ty. Other parameters such as alkaline phosphatase and calcium did not change significantly during the study. Plasma levels of SHBG were nega tively correlated with phosphorus. As higher SHBG has been related to increased bone loss in older women, we conclude that moderate physical activity is an effective means to preserve bone loss in postmenopausa l women.