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Exercise does not enhance aged bone's impaired response to artificial loading in C57Bl/6 mice
Lee B Meakin1, Chinedu Udeh2, Gabriel L Galea1
1School of Veterinary Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol BS40 5DU, UK.
Bone
|July 6, 2015
Summary
Exercise did not improve bone adaptation to mechanical loading in young or old mice, despite causing systemic and muscular changes. This suggests exercise benefits for elderly bone health are not mediated by these systemic or muscle effects.
Area of Science:
- Bone biology
- Exercise physiology
- Gerontology
Background:
- Bone structure adapts to mechanical loading for strength.
- Bone fragility increases with age due to declining adaptation.
- Exercise induces physiological changes that might influence bone adaptation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate if treadmill exercise influences bone's adaptive response to artificial loading.
- To examine this effect in both young adult and old mice.
Main Methods:
- Mice (young and old) underwent treadmill exercise for two weeks.
- Tibiae were subjected to axial loading three hours after exercise.
- Measurements included muscle area, serum sclerostin, and serum IGF1.
Main Results:
- Exercise increased muscle cross-sectional area and serum sclerostin in both age groups.
- Young mice showed increased serum IGF1 after exercise.
- Exercise did not alter bone's adaptation to mechanical loading in any measured parameter.
Conclusions:
- Exercise-induced systemic and local muscular changes do not enhance bone's response to mechanical loading.
- The beneficial effects of exercise on bone in the elderly may not be mediated by systemic or muscle-derived factors.
- Local adaptation to mechanical strain remains a primary driver of bone's response to loading.
