Bone Mineral Density in Competitive Athletes

Author(s)

Jose Antonio Ph.D., FNSCA, FISSN, CSCS, Nova Southeastern UniversityFollow
Alexander Leaf, University of Western StatesFollow
Cassandra Carson, Nova Southeastern University
Anya Ellerbroek, Nova Southeastern UniversityFollow
Tobin Silver, Nova Southeastern UniversityFollow
Corey Peacock, Nova Southeastern UniversityFollow
Pete Bommarito, Bommarito Performance Systems
Sarah Knafo, Nova Southeastern University
Jaime Tartar, Nova Southeastern UniversityFollow

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

2018

Publication Title

Journal of Exercise and Nutrition

Volume

1

Issue/Number

2

First Page

1

Last Page

11

Abstract/Excerpt

Introduction: The purpose of this investigation was to characterize the bone mineral density in a wide variety of competitive athletes.

Methods: A cohort of 135 athletes was assessed for body composition via dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA). These included professional mixed martial arts fighters (MMA), elite stand-up paddlers, collegiate football players, collegiate swimmers, collegiate track and field athletes, collegiate and world-class distance runners as well as a group of men and women who participated in regular heavy resistance training.

Results: In general, bone mineral density (BMD) as determined by the T-score was highest in mixed martial arts fighters (T-score = 3.1 ± 0.9) and football players (T-score = 2.7 ± 0.7) followed by resistance-trained (RT) males (T-score = 1.9 ± 1.2). RT males had a greater average T-score than RT females (T-score 1.5 ± 1.3). Based on the data from this investigation, we conclude that RT males have greater BMD as determined by the T-score than RT females. Also, MMA fighters and football players are unique in that they tend to demonstrate very high BMD (1.57 ± 0.10 and 1.60 ± 0.12 g/cm2 , respectively) with a concomitantly high T-score.

Conclusions: It is evident that the high-impact nature of football and MMA competition is conducive to producing very high bone mineral densities. However, inasmuch as this investigation is cross-sectional in nature, it is not clear if athletes are self-selected for higher bone mineral density and/or if it is the result of years of training in their respective sport.

NSUWorks Citation

Antonio, J., Leaf, A., Carson, C., Ellerbroek, A., Silver, T., Peacock, C., Bommarito, P., Knafo, S., Tartar, J. (2018). Bone Mineral Density in Competitive Athletes. Journal of Exercise and Nutrition, 1(2), 1-11.
Available at: https://nsuworks.nova.edu/cps_facarticles/1640