Bone mineral density and bone turnover in male masters athletes aged 40–64

Figures & data

Table I.  Mean values ± SD of age, somatic parameters and training characteristics in endurance athletes, speed-power athletes and controls. ANOVA refers to comparisons between all three groups of athletes and controls, T-test refers to comparisons between two groups of athletes.

				p-level
	Endurance (n = 14)	Speed-power (n = 12)	Controls (n = 13)	ANOVA/T-test*
Age (years)	49.2 ± 5.4	50.6 ± 9.2	49.4 ± 5.7	n.s.
Weight (kg)	69.8 ± 6.2^†,§	78.8 ± 13.9^‡	77.6 ± 9.0^‡	<0.05
Height (cm)	176.0 ± 4.5	179.6 ± 9.0	179.0 ± 4.2	n.s.
Body mass index (kg/m^2)	22.5 ± 1.3	24.3 ± 3.2	24.2 ± 1.9	n.s.
Fat mass (%)	11.5 ± 4.3^†	12.6 ± 7.3^†	22.3 ± 4.6^‡,§	<0.001
Lean body mass (g)	58912 ± 4412^§	65151 ± 8534^†,‡	57707 ± 5206^§	<0.05
Training experience before the age of 30 (years)	11.0 ± 4.5	11.5 ± 8.0	–	n.s.
Starting age of masters training (years)	34.6 ± 7.4	35.8 ± 6.9	–	n.s.
Masters training experience (years)	14.6 ± 7.6	14.8 ± 9.5	–	n.s.
Total training experience (years)	26.6 ± 10.6	26.3 ± 9.5	–	n.s.
Training volume (h/week)	7.3 ± 1.5^§	6.2 ± 1.2^‡	–	<0.05

n.s., not significant.

*ANOVA for age and somatic characteristics (three groups of subjects), T-test for training characteristics (two groups of athletes).

^†Significantly different from controls.

^‡Significantly different from endurance athletes.

^§Significantly different from speed-power athletes.

Table II.  Crude mean values ± SD of whole body and regional aBMD and BMC in endurance athletes, speed-power athletes and controls.

	Endurance (n = 14)	Speed-power (n = 12)	Controls (n = 13)	One-way ANOVA
				p-level	Effect size	Statistical power (α = 0.05)
aBMD total-body (g/cm^2)	1.23 ± 0.08^‡	1.34 ± 0.10*^,†	1.21 ± 0.09^‡	<0.01	0.31	0.94
aBMD arms (g/cm^2)	1.04 ± 0.12^‡	1.16 ± 0.14*^,†	1.05 ± 0.12^‡	<0.05	0.18	0.66
aBMD trunk (g/cm^2)	0.93 ± 0.06^‡	1.04 ± 0.09*^,†	0.95 ± 0.06^‡	<0.001	0.34	0.97
aBMD thor. spine (g/cm^2)	1.01 ± 0.08^‡	1.15 ± 0.14*^,†	1.04 ± 0.08	<0.01	0.27	0.89
aBMD pelvis (g/cm^2)	1.16 ± 0.09^‡	1.30 ± 0.12*^,†	1.16 ± 0.10^‡	<0.05	0.30	0.93
aBMD legs (g/cm^2)	1.43 ± 0.12^‡	1.58 ± 0.13*^,†	1.38 ± 0.11^‡	<0.001	0.35	0.97
Total-body BMC (g)	3070 ± 309^‡	3521 ± 551*^,†	3086 ± 307^‡	<0.01	0.22	0.79
Arms BMC (g)	454 ± 47	504 ± 76	455 ± 52	n.s.	0.14	0.53
Trunk BMC (g)	891 ± 135^‡	1084 ± 231^†	948 ± 126	<0.05	0.20	0.72
Legs BMC (g)	1286 ± 118^‡	1453 ± 219*^,†	1231 ± 126^‡	<0.01	0.28	0.90

n.s., not significant.

*Significantly different from controls.

^†Significantly different from endurance athletes.

^‡Significantly different from speed-power athletes.

Table III.  Age-, weight- and height-adjusted mean values ± SE of whole body and regional aBMD, and BMC in endurance athletes, speed-power athletes and controls.

	Endurance (n = 14)	Speed-power (n = 12)	Controls (n = 13)	ANCOVA
				p-level	Effect size	Statistical power (α = 0.05)
aBMD total-body (g/cm^2)	1.24 ± 0.02^‡	1.33 ± 0.02*^,†	1.20 ± 0.02^‡	<0.01	0.33	0.94
aBMD arms (g/cm^2)	1.06 ± 0.03^‡	1.16 ± 0.03*^,†	1.04 ± 0.03^‡	<0.05	0.17	0.58
aBMD trunk (g/cm^2)	0.95 ± 0.02^‡	1.03 ± 0.02*^,†	0.94 ± 0.02^‡	<0.01	0.33	0.95
aBMD thor. spine (g/cm^2)	1.05 ± 0.02^‡	1.13 ± 0.03*^,†	1.03 ± 0.02	<0.05	0.23	0.77
aBMD pelvis (g/cm^2)	1.19 ± 0.03^‡	1.29 ± 0.03*^,†	1.15 ± 0.03^‡	<0.01	0.29	0.88
aBMD legs (g/cm^2)	1.44 ± 0.03^‡	1.57 ± 0.03*^,†	1.37 ± 0.03^‡	<0.001	0.37	0.97
Total-body BMC (g)	3220 ± 74^‡	3435 ± 77*^,†	3021 ± 73^‡	<0.01	0.32	0.93
Arms BMC (g)	472 ± 13^‡	494 ± 13*^,†	447 ± 12^‡	<0.05	0.17	0.60
Trunk BMC (g)	964 ± 30^‡	1040 ± 32*^,†	918 ± 30^‡	<0.05	0.20	0.68
Legs BMC (g)	1322 ± 31^‡	1422 ± 32*^,†	1207 ± 31^‡	<0.001	0.42	0.99

n.s., not significant.

*Significantly different from controls.

^†Significantly different from endurance athletes.

^‡Significantly different from speed-power athletes.

Table IV.  Biochemical parameters (mean ± SD) in endurance athletes, speed-power athletes and controls.

	Endurance (n = 14)	Speed-power (n = 12)	Controls (n = 13)	One-way ANOVA
				p-level	Effect size	Statistical power (α = 0.05)
OC (ng/ml)	10.90 ± 3.56	11.78 ± 2.94	12.00 ± 4.00	n.s.	0.02	0.10
CTX (ng/ml)	0.66 ± 0.29	0.74 ± 0.25	0.74 ± 0.33	n.s.	0.02	0.10
TT (nmol/l)	18.34 ± 3.59	20.08 ± 6.75	18.08 ± 6.06	n.s.	0.03	0.12
FT (pg/ml)	8.81 ± 2.64	8.80 ± 3.24	7.46 ± 5.93	n.s.	0.02	0.12
TNF-α (pg/ml)	0.96 ± 1.99	0.34 ± 0.39	0.23 ± 0.15	n.s.	0.07	0.28
IGF-1 (ng/ml)	153.02 ± 72.87	144.69 ± 56.05	143.44 ± 51.62	n.s.	0.01	0.06

n.s., not significant.