Running for One Minute a Day Can Help Women Improve Their Bone Health, Study Says

Calgary, Canada -- To promote their campaign on osteoporosis prevention, Nutriden Inc, a premium supplier of high-quality nutritional supplements, has outlined the health benefits of high-intensity training on women's bone health.

Older women are known to be at a greater risk of suffering from osteoporosis, as their bones start to thin after menopause. To prevent this, regular exercise is often encouraged as a means of improving bone strength. But a recent study published by researchers in the UK has shown that those who perform brief bursts of high-intensity, weight bearing activities have better bone health as compared to pre-menopausal women who perform medium paced runs or post-menopausal women who jog.

According to Tom Schumlich, President of Nutriden Inc, “High-intensity training paired with weights has long been established as a superior method of exercise over long bursts of repetitive cardio. It not only saves one's time but also leaves a greater impact on one's health, making it an ideal solution for women at risk of osteoporosis.”

Researchers from the University of Exeter and the University of Leicester analyzed national health data on more than 2,500 women to compare their fitness activity levels and bone health. They found that women who on average did 60-120 seconds of high-intensity, weight-bearing activity per day had 4% better bone health than those who did less than a minute. They also discovered that more than 2 minutes of high-intensity, weight bearing activity increases bone health by 6%.

Lead author Dr. Victoria Stiles, of the University of Exeter said, "We don't yet know whether it's better to accumulate this small amount of exercise in bits throughout each day or all at once, and also whether a slightly longer bout of exercise on one or two days per week is just as good as 1-2 minutes a day. But there's a clear link between this kind of high-intensity, weight-bearing exercise and better bone health in women."

For women at risk of developing osteoporosis, practicing strength bearing exercises can be a great way of increasing their bone strength.