Abstract
The purpose of this work was to describe changes in metabolic activity in the bones of young male competitive cyclists (CYC) as compared with age-matched controls (CON) over a one-year period of study. Eight adolescent male cyclists aged between fourteen and twenty, and eight age-matched controls participated in this longitudinal study. Serum osteocalcin (OC), amino-terminal propeptide of type I procollagen (PINP), beta-isomerized C-telopeptides (β-CTx) and plasma 25 hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D], were investigated by an electrogenerated chemiluminescence immunoassay. Analysis of variance revealed no significant differences in formation and resorption markers between cyclists and controls. Within the groups, both CYC and CON showed decreased OC at −30% and −24%, respectively, and PINP where the figures were −28% and −30% respectively (all p < 0.05). However, only the CYC group showed a decrease in [25(OH)D], lower by 11% (p < 0.05). The similarity in the concentrations of markers in cyclists and controls seems to indicate that cycling does not modify the process of bone remodeling. The decrease in vitamin D in cyclists might be detrimental to their future bone health.
Highlights
Osteoporosis is a serious skeletal disease which continues to grow in our society, characterized by low bone mineral density (BMD) and microarchitectural deterioration of bone tissue, affected by the peak of bone mass obtained before 20 years of age [1]
The results suggest that this trend seems to be similar in athletes of both sexes, and in accordance with the results recorded by García-Marco et al [30] in a study with an adolescent population, which detected a decrease in markers as puberty progressed in both boys and girls
Bone remodeling decreases with age independently of whatever sport may be practiced, so growth may perhaps mask the effects of physical activity at these ages
Summary
Osteoporosis is a serious skeletal disease which continues to grow in our society, characterized by low bone mineral density (BMD) and microarchitectural deterioration of bone tissue, affected by the peak of bone mass obtained before 20 years of age [1]. Several studies suggested that maximizing bone mineral acquisition during growth might reduce the risk of osteoporosis in later life [5,6,7,8]. Exercise during adolescence may contribute to the prevention of osteoporosis, it needs to be a weight-bearing activity to be osteogenic [5,9]. In this sense, cycling may adversely affect bone mass during adolescence [10], and several studies have diagnosed osteopenia and osteoporosis in professional and master cyclists [11,12,13]
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