Longitudinal Adaptations of Bone Mass, Geometry, and Metabolism in Adolescent Male Athletes: The PRO-BONE Study

Abstract

Adolescence is a crucial period for bone development, and exercise can enhance bone acquisition during this period of life. However, it is not known how the different loading sports practiced can affect bone acquisition in adolescent male athletes. Therefore, the purpose of the present study was to determine the 1-year longitudinal bone acquisition among adolescent males involved in osteogenic (football) and non-osteogenic (swimming and cycling) sports and to compare with active controls. A total of 116 adolescent males aged 12 to 14 years at baseline were followed for 1 year: 37 swimmers, 37 footballers, 28 cyclists, and 14 active controls. Bone mineral content (BMC) was assessed using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA); cross-sectional area (CSA), cross-sectional moment of inertia (CSMI), and section modulus (Z) at the femoral neck was assessed using hip structural analysis (HSA); and bone texture of the lumbar spine was assessed using trabecular bone score (TBS). Serum N-terminal propeptide of procollagen type I (PINP), isomer of the Carboxi-terminal telopeptide of type 1 collagen (CTX-I), total serum calcium, and 25 hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] were analyzed. Footballers had significantly higher adjusted BMC at the lumbar spine (7.0%) and femoral neck (5.0%) compared with cyclists, and significantly greater BMC at the lumbar spine (6.9%) compared with swimmers. Footballers presented significantly greater TBS (4.3%) compared with swimmers, and greater CSMI (10.2%), CSA (7.1%), Z (8.9%) and TBS (4.2%) compared with cyclists. No differences were noted between cyclists and swimmers, both groups had similar bone acquisition compared with controls. PINP was significantly higher in footballers and controls compared with cyclists and swimmers (3.3% to 6.0%), and 25(OH)D was significantly higher in footballers and cyclists compared with swimmers and controls (9.9% to 13.1%). These findings suggest that bone acquisition is higher in adolescent male footballers compared with swimmers and cyclists at the femoral neck and lumbar spine sites of the skeleton. © 2017 American Society for Bone and Mineral Research.

The effect of 12-month participation in osteogenic and non-osteogenic sports on bone development in adolescent male athletes. The PRO-BONE study

“…Research investigating the longitudinal effects of the most popular sports on bone development in adolescent males is scarce 17 . It should be noted that a comprehensive analysis of potential confounders, such as lean mass and objectively measured moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA) should be used to control for important predictors of bone status in these sports 18 .…”

The impact of different loading sports and a jumping intervention on bone health in adolescent males: the PRO-BONE study

“…Lean mass was the strongest determinant of bone outcomes, followed by football participation and height in adolescent male athletes 4 . The longitudinal findings show that bone mass (5 to 8 %) and geometry (4 to 10 %) is greater in adolescent male footballers compared to swimmers and cyclists after one year of sport specific training, and that there were no differences in bone development between non-osteogenic sports groups and controls 5 . After one year PINP was significantly higher in footballers and controls compared with cyclists and swimmers, and 25(OH)D was significantly higher in footballers and cyclists compared with swimmers and controls.…”

Effect of maturational timing on bone health in male adolescent athletes engaged in different sports: The PRO-BONE study

“…The combination of these techniques provides a thorough insight of bone health during adolescence. To date, the number of studies using TBS in adolescent male population is very limited and further research is needed to better understand its use in young populations 17,34 . The number of scans in theyears from PHV is relatively small and results should be treated with caution.…”

“…Although most of the knowledge about TBS refers to adult population, TBS usually increases with growth and may provide very valuable information about bone quality in young populations 16 . To our knowledge, there is a lack of studies using the combination of these techniques in adolescent male athletes 17 .…”