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The 'muscle-bone unit' during the pubertal growth spurt.
Frank Rauch1, Donald A Bailey, Adam Baxter-Jones
1Genetics Unit, Shriners Hospital for Children and McGill University, Montréal, Québec, Canada H3G 1A6. frauch@shriners.mcgill.ca
Bone
|May 4, 2004
Summary
Muscle development, measured by lean body mass (LBM), precedes bone development, measured by bone mineral content (BMC), during puberty. This supports the mechanostat theory that muscle forces drive bone strength increases.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Endocrinology
- Bone Biology
- Human Physiology
Background:
- Mechanostat theory proposes bone strength adapts to muscle forces.
- Bone development is hypothesized to follow muscle development.
- Understanding this relationship is crucial for pediatric bone health.
Purpose of the Study:
- To test if muscle strength gains precede bone strength gains during pubertal development.
- To investigate the temporal relationship between lean body mass (LBM) and bone mineral content (BMC) accrual.
- To determine if LBM velocity predicts BMC velocity during puberty.
Main Methods:
- Longitudinal study of 70 boys and 68 girls during puberty.
- Used lean body mass (LBM) as a surrogate for muscle force and bone mineral content (BMC) for bone strength.
- Employed densitometry and multiple regression analysis to assess temporal relationships and associations.
Main Results:
- Peak LBM accrual consistently preceded peak BMC accretion across total body, arms, and legs in both sexes.
- Time intervals between peak LBM and BMC velocities varied by body region and sex.
- Peak LBM velocity independently predicted peak BMC velocity, independent of peak height velocity and sex.
Conclusions:
- Findings support the mechanostat theory, suggesting muscle development drives bone development during puberty.
- While compatible with muscle-driven bone adaptation, the study does not exclude independent genetic influences.
- Muscle mass accrual is a key determinant of bone accrual during adolescent growth.