Wm. Kohrt et al., HRT PRESERVES INCREASES IN BONE-MINERAL DENSITY AND REDUCTIONS IN BODY-FAT AFTER A SUPERVISED EXERCISE PROGRAM, Journal of applied physiology, 84(5), 1998, pp. 1506-1512
The aims of this study were to confirm our previous finding that hormo
ne-replacement therapy (HRT) augments exercise-induced increases in bo
ne mineral density (BMD) in older women and to determine whether HRT p
reserves the adaptations when exercise is reduced or discontinued. The
study included an Ii-mo treatment phase and a 6-mo follow-up phase. P
articipants, aged 66 +/- 3 yr, were assigned to control(Con; it = 10),
exercise (Ex; n = 18), HRT (n = 10), and Ex + HRT (n = 16) groups. HR
T was continued during the follow-up. After the treatment phase, chang
es in total body BMD were -0.5 +/- 1.7, 1.5 +/- 1.4, 1.2 +/- 0.8, and
2.7 +/- 1.2% in Con, Ex, HRT, and Ex + HRT, respectively. Ex + HRT was
more effective than HRT in increasing BMD of the total body and tende
d (P = 0.08) to be more effective at the lumbar spine. Ex + HRT was mo
re effective than Ex in increasing BMD of the total body, lumbar spine
, and trochanter. Exercise-induced gains in BMD were preserved during
the follow-up only in those individuals on HRT. HRT also attenuated fa
t accumulation, particularly in the abdominal region, after the exerci
se program. These findings suggest that HRT is an important adjunct to
exercise for the prevention not only of osteoporosis but also of dise
ases related to abdominal obesity.