A Randomized Controlled Trial of Whole Body Vibration Exposure on Markers of Bone Turnover in Postmenopausal Women

Journal of Osteoporosis, Volume 2011 (2011), Article ID 710387, 10 pages
doi:10.4061/2011/710387, Research Article
Sarah Turner,1 Margaret Torode,1 Mike Climstein,2 Geraldine Naughton,2,3 David Greene,2 Michael K. Baker,1,4,5 and Maria A. Fiatarone Singh1,5,6,7
1Exercise, Health and Performance Faculty Research Group, Faculty of Health Sciences, The University of Sydney, Lidcombe, NSW 1825, Australia
2School of Exercise Science, Australian Catholic University, Strathfield, NSW 2135, Australia
3Centre of Physical Activity Across the Lifespan, Australian Catholic University, Fitzroy, Victoria 3065, Australia
4School of Exercise, Biomedical and Health Sciences, Edith Cowan University, Joondalup, WA 6027, Australia
5The Boden Institute of Obesity, Nutrition, and Exercise & Eating Disorders, Sydney Medical School, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia
6Sydney Medical School, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia
7Hebrew SeniorLife and Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Center on Aging, Tufts University, Boston, MA 02111-1524, USA
Received 2 December 2010; Revised 28 March 2011; Accepted 14 April 2011

Purpose. To examine the effects of two doses of low-frequency (12?Hz), low-magnitude (0.3?g), whole body vibration on markers of bone formation and resorption in postmenopausal women. Methods. Women were recruited and randomized into a sham vibration control group, one time per week vibration group (1×/week), or three times per week vibration group (3×/week). Vibration exposure consisted of 20 minutes of intermittent vibration for the 1×/week and 3×/week groups, and sham vibration (<0.1?g) for the control group for eight weeks. Double-blinded primary outcome measures were urine markers of bone resorption: N-telopeptide X normalised to creatinine (NTx/Cr) and bone formation: bone-specific alkaline phosphatase (ALP).

Results. Forty-six women (59.8 ± 6.2 years, median 7.3 years since menopause) were enrolled. NTx/Cr was significantly reduced (34.6%) in the 3×/wk vibration group but not in the 1×/wk vibration group compared with sham control ( x x x x) group. No effect of time or group allocation was observed on the bone formation marker ALP ( x x x x)

Conclusion. We have shown for the first time that low-frequency, low-magnitude vibration 3×/week for eight weeks in postmenopausal women results in a significant reduction in NTx/Cr, a marker of bone resorption, when compared with sham vibration exposure.

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See also Vitamin D Life

• 1600 IU vitamin D does not help Whole Body Vibration – RCT July 2010
  • Note: It is rare that vitamin D < 2000 IU helps.
• Overview Falling, Fractures and Vitamin D

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Whole Body Vibration is another excellent way to prevent falls.

Random Controlled Trials found that with just 5 minutes a day the amount of elderly falls was reduced by 2X.

Such a low amplitude of vibration was used that the participants could not notice if the platform was vibrating or not.

The wife of the administrator of this web site takes 10,000 IU of vitamin D AND uses the Whole Body Vibration Platform while doing dishes several times per week.
Parts cost of the platform is less than $200