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
Details
Lead Sponsor:
University of Arizona
Collaborator:
National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS)