Antioxidants, resistance training combination 'has no effect on bone mineral density'

A combination of antioxidant supplements and resistance training does not affect bone mineral density in postmenopausal women, a new study published in the journal Osteoporosis International has suggested.

Researchers from Sherbrooke University in Canada and the University of Orleans in France randomly divided 34 postmenopausal women into four groups.

The first was given placebo, the second assigned to antioxidants (600 mg vitamin E and 1,000 mg vitamin C daily), the third was made to exercise, while the fourth received a combination of antioxidants and exercise.

Results showed that bone mineral density in the lumbar spine declined significantly in the placebo group, but remained stable in all the others.

"Antioxidant vitamins may offer some protection against bone loss in the same extent as resistance exercise although combining both does not seem to produce additional effects," the study authors concluded.

"Our results suggest to further investigate the impact of antioxidant supplements on the prevention of osteoporosis."

A spokeswoman for the Arthritis Research Campaign said that doing nothing was shown to be the least effective option, and that either of the two treatment options were worth pursuing.

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