He morning exercise may be more beneficial for bone health compared to exercise nightaccording to a study carried out in mice. Researchers of the Huazhong University of Science and Technologyin China, led by Lily Chen, observed that mice that exercised shortly after waking up developed stronger and longer bones than those that exercised closer to bedtime. The results showed that the mice that exercised in the morning showed bone growth in the 3% longer and a 25% thicker compared to those who exercised at night.
The study included a group of 79 male mice and 35 femalesall of them from 4 weeks of age, equivalent to approximately 11 years in humans. The mice were divided into seven groups of similar size. Six of these groups exercised on a treadmill for 30 minutes a day at different times. A control group remained stationary during various assigned times of the day.
The findings suggest that Morning movement can accelerate bone growth and help maintain bone mass. It is essential to maintain bone mass as we age, as it begins to decline in middle age. Activities such as run, jump and lift weights They are recommended to keep bones strong due to the force they exert on them, similar to how strength training builds muscle.
Karen Troyof the Worcester Polytechnic Institute in Massachusettscautioned that results seen in mice do not always translate to humans and noted that the mice in the study were adolescents. “It is not clear whether these effects are maintained with age,” Troy highlighted.
Despite these points, Troy indicated that for those who want to optimize the benefits of exercise on bones, the results suggest that morning workouts may be more effective. However, he emphasized that “Any exercise is better than no exercise”, regardless of the time of day when it is done. Furthermore, Troy stressed that the type of exercise is more important for bone health than when it is performed. For example, swimming It probably doesn’t provide as much benefit as run.
Another relevant detail of the study is that after four weeksthe femurs of the mice that exercised in the morning were longer and thicker compared to those of the mice that exercised in the evening. This observation indicates that the morning physical activity can have important advantages in the formation and maintenance of the bone mass.
The analysis was carried out in the context of Nature Metabolismand suggests the possibility of adopting morning exercise as a preventive measure to strengthen the bones. These findings could change current recommendations about the most beneficial times for physical activity.
It is important to mention that, although more studies are still needed to confirm these results in humans and at different stages of life, the current findings provide new relevant information for people of all ages interested in maintaining their bone health over time.
Researchers will continue to delve deeper into this topic, hoping to translate these benefits observed in mice into recommended practices for humans. “Future studies should consider individuals of various ages to evaluate the persistence and consistency of these effects,” Troy concluded.
These are the possible benefits of morning exercise according to the study:
- Strengthening and lengthening of bones.
- Acceleration of bone growth.
- Maintenance of bone mass.
- Possible optimization of bone benefits.
