Maintaining energy balance during races may protect cyclists' bones, researcher says
Thursday, May 6, 2010 - 10:02
in Health & Medicine
The recent start of the North American cycling season marks the beginning of a physically demanding time for elite and professional bicycle racers who participate in multi-day stage races. Previous research has found that competitive cyclists have significantly lower bone mineral density (BMD) than other endurance athletes, making them more susceptible to fractures. The reasons for the reduced bone mass in elite cyclists are not fully understood, but one explanation is an imbalance between bone formation and bone breakdown due to the high-energy cost of stage racing. However, a new University of Missouri study reveals that proper nutrition during multi-day stage races might prevent harmful changes in bone turnover...