Bone Estrogen Strength Training

• Status: Completed
• Trial end date: 2001-01-01
• Target enrollment: 0
• Participant gender: Female

Summary

We started the Bone, Estrogen, Strength Training (BEST) study in the fall of 1995 at the University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona. The BEST study is the largest of its kind. It looks at the effects of hormone replacement therapy and strength training exercise on bone mineral density. (Bone mineral density affects bone strength and the risk of osteoporosis.) Six groups of about 300 women each participated in this osteoporosis prevention study. In 1998, the BEST study received additional funding to examine for another 2 years the long-term effects of strength training on bone mineral density. By 2001 we will have finished analyzing the results for all study groups on the 1-year effects of exercise on bone, as well as additional analyses on the effects of 2, 3, and 4 years of strength training and weight-bearing exercise on bone.

• Phase: Phase 2
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers?: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Details

• Lead Sponsor: University of Arizona
• Collaborator: National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS)
• Treatments: Estrogens; Hormones

Criteria

Inclusion Criteria:

• Age 40-65 years.

• Post-menopause (3-10.9 years) due to hysterectomy or natural menopause.

• Post-menopausal females, 3-10 years past menopause (natural or surgical menopause); if subjects are currently taking hormone replacement therapy (HRT), they must be taking HRT for at least 1 year but no more than 6 years. The subjects must be relatively sedentary, not currently engaged in strength-training exercises.

• Nonsmoker.

• Cancer free for the last 5 years (treatment free for last 5 years) excluding skin cancers.

• Resident of Tucson (48 out of 52 weeks of year).

Exclusion Criteria:

• History of bone fractures or currently have osteoporosis.

• Currently taking medications that control cholesterol or alter bone mineral density.

• Currently taking beta-blockers or steroids in large quantities/frequencies.

• Currently participating in any other research study.

• Amount of physical activity exceeds 120 minutes of moderate exercise per week. Moderate exercise examples: brisk walking, golfing, gardening, housework, house painting. Potential subject cannot be weight lifting.