Weight training is a good option to compensate for weak bones of vegetarians.
People who follow a vegan diet, that is, who do not consume any animal products, from meat to eggs and milk, can benefit from a routine with resistance training in the gym for healthy bones. The conclusion is from a study conducted by researchers at the University of Vienna, Austria, recently published in the scientific journal Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism.
The discovery is significant because the number of people sticking to vegetarianism and veganism is increasing – when the diet excludes only animals, not their derivatives. In Brazil, a survey conducted by the former Ibope Institute showed, in 2018, that 14% of the country’s population declared not to eat animals, an increase of 75% compared to the figure six years earlier.
However, when excluding animal meat from the dish, it is necessary to replace some nutrients with other foods so that the change does not translate into problems for the human body. One of these compounds is calcium, which is responsible for ensuring bone health. A review by researchers at the University of Regensburg, Germany, analyzed 74 studies on the topic, with more than 150,000 participants, and found that vegetarians get “significantly less” calcium than omnivores and omnivores. The authors of the analysis argued: “This finding underscores the need for vegetarians to monitor their calcium status.”
The consequences of this low consumption have also been proven. Another study, conducted by the University of Oxford in the UK and published in the scientific journal BMC Medicine, analyzed data from more than 55,000 Britons and found that those who followed a vegetarian and vegan diet had a 43% higher risk of total fractures.
“Overall, vegetarians in this study were more likely to have total and some site-specific fractures (hip, leg and vertebrae) than omnivores. The strongest associations were seen for hip fractures, with fish eaters, vegetarians, and vegans being more at risk. In the paper, the researchers suggested that These differences in risk may be partially explained by lower mean BMI and lower mean calcium and protein intakes in non-carnivores.
Now, new work by Austrian scientists shows that the problem can be solved by adopting resistance training. The study compared data from 45 people who ate a plant-based diet and 45 people who ate meat over a five-year period. In the end, comparison of bone strength data and reports of training frequency showed the benefit of the activities.
Among the vegetarians who performed exercises such as weightlifting or resistance exercises with their body weight at least once a week, their bones were stronger compared to those who did not go to the gym. Additionally, the intense activity routine resulted in the bone structure of vegetarians being similar to that of omnivores who also performed exercise.
“Veganism is a global trend with more and more people around the world sticking to a purely vegetarian diet. Our study showed that resistance training compensates for reduced bone structure in vegetarians when compared to omnivores,” explains the study author and university researcher, in a statement , Christian Moschitz, who advises: “People who adhere to a vegan lifestyle should exercise resistance and train regularly to maintain bone strength.”
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