Effects of alprazolam supplementation on vertebral and femoral bone mass in rats on strenuous treadmill training exercise

The ability of alprazolam to diminish cortisol response and favor ovarian f unction could make it useful in the prevention of osteopenia in athletes in selected cases. A sample of 45 female Wistar rats, all 93 days old and wit h a mean initial weight of 267 +/- 17 g, were studied. Rats were exposed to a high-performance level of exercise and were divided into two groups-one group received an alprazolam supplement and one did not-and compared with c ontrols to determine the effect of alprazolam on bone mass as measured by d ual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DKA). Exercise consisted of treadmill runn ing on 5 out of 7 days during a period of Il weeks. A steep grade treadmill inclination was used to stimulate high-intensity muscle activity. Final in clination was 17.5 degrees and treadmill speed was 45 cm/second. Upon compl etion of the experiment, all the rats were killed and the femur and 5th lum bar vertebra were dissected and cleaned. Length, weight, bone mineral conte nt (BMC), and density (BMD) of the whole right femur and 5th lumbar vertebr a were measured. In the exercise only group (no alprazolam), the length, we ight, BMC, BMD, and femur BMC/final rat weight ratio of the femur, and the vertebral weight, vertebral BMD and BMC, and vertebral BMC/final rat weight ratio were lower than in the control and the exercise-alprazolam groups (P < 0.0167 - < 0.0001). Alprazolam preserves bone mass in rats exposed to in tense exercise.