Competitive season of triathlon does not alter bone metabolism and bone mineral status in male triathletes
Abstract
This longitudinal study evaluated the effects of a triathlon season on bone metabolism and hormonal status. Seven male competitive triathletes (mean age 19.3 years, range 18 - 20) with 5.0 +/- 0.3 years of competition experience were tested twice during the season: at the beginning of training and 32 weeks later. Total and regional bone mineral density (BMD) was determined by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry, while bone turnover was evaluated by specific biochemical markers: bone-specific alkaline phosphatase (B-ALP), osteocalcin, and urinary type I collagen C-telopeptide. In addition, sexual, calciotropic and somatotropic hormones were also analyzed. After 32 weeks, a BMD increase was found at the lumbar spine (1.9 %; p = 0.031) and skull (3.1 %; p = 0.048), while no variation was observed for total body or at the proximal femur. The B-ALP level decreased (-23.2 %; p = 0.031), but no variation was found for the other bone markers. 1.25 (OH) (2)D3, IGF-1 and the bioavailability IGF-1 index (IGF-1/IGFBP-3) increased by 18.3 % (p = 0.047), 29 % (p = 0.048), 33 % (p = 0.011), respectively, while PTH, testosterone, IGFBP-3 and cortisol concentrations were unchanged. In conclusion, the triathlon season had a moderately favourable effect on BMD, although a slowing down of bone formation activity was observed. No variation in hormonal levels was observed that could have limited the effects of exercise on bone tissue.
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The acute decline in plasma calcium concentrations following a single bout of exercise appears transient, given prolonged periods of training do not modulate plasma calcium levels.
“Despite an acute decline in plasma calcium concentrations following a single bout of exercise [[272], [273], [274]], this appears transient given prolonged periods of training do not modulate plasma calcium levels [[275], [276], [277]]”
From Nutritional Considerations for the Vegan Athlete (2023) · cites this paper as [275]
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- Authors
- Maı̈moun, L., Galy, O., Manetta, J., Coste, O., Péruchon, E., Micallef, J., Mariano‐Goulart, D., Couret, I., Sultan, C., & Rossi, M.
- Affiliations
- Université des Antilles et de la Guyane (GP)
- Hôpital Lapeyronie (FR)
- Inserm (FR)
- Venue
- International Journal of Sports Medicine
- Publisher
- Georg Thieme Verlag KG
- Published
- 2004-04
- Volume
- 25
- Issue
- 3
- Pages
- 230-234
- ISSN
- 0172-4622 (ISSN-L)
- 1439-3964
- OpenAlex
- W32222468
- Cited by
- 64
- References
- 0
- Citations by year
- 2026: 3 · 2025: 1 · 2024: 2 · 2023: 5 · 2022: 3 · 2021: 2 · 2020: 3 · 2019: 5 · 2018: 3 · 2017: 2 · 2016: 1 · 2015: 4 · 2014: 1 · 2013: 4 · 2012: 4
- FWCI
- 2.27
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- International Journal of Sports Medicine (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Orthopedics and Sports Medicine › Bone health and osteoporosis research
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Orthopedics and Sports Medicine › Sports Performance and Training
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism › Growth Hormone and Insulin-like Growth Factors
- Keywords
- triathlon, bone mineral density, bone metabolism, bone turnover markers, bone-specific alkaline phosphatase, osteocalcin, insulin-like growth factor I, 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3, parathyroid hormone, testosterone, cortisol, exercise and bone, male athletes
- MeSH terms
- Adolescent, Adult, Alkaline Phosphatase, Bicycling, Bone and Bones, Collagen, Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay, Exercise Test, Hormones, Humans, Longitudinal Studies, Male, Peptides, Running, Swimming, Absorptiometry, Photon, Bone Density, Osteocalcin, Bone Remodeling, Statistics, Nonparametric, Collagen Type I
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