Estrogen therapy and variable‐resistance weight training increase bone mineral in surgically menopausal women

This study was undertaken to examine the effect of estrogen replacement therapy alone and estrogen replacement therapy plus variable‐resistance weight training on the bone mineral content of surgically menopausal women. A total of 20 surgically menopausal women were randomized and treated with either 0.625 mg conjugated estrogen daily or the same dose of estrogen plus a closely monitored exercise program involving the use of Nautilus muscle strengthening/endurance equipment. After 1 year's observation, the bone mineral density (BMD) of the spine determined by dual‐photon absorptiometry increased in the exercising subjects by 8.3 ± 5.3% (p = 0.004), 95% confidence limits (CL) 3.9–12.8%; the group with estrogen replacement therapy alone maintained their BMD: 1.5 ± 12.4% (p = 0.36; 95% CL = −6.9–9.8%). The total body BMD of the exercising group increased by 2.1 ± 1.5% (p = 0.003; 95% CL = 0.8–3.3%); the nonexercising women had a nonsignificant 0.6 ± 2.9% change (p = 0.30; 95% CL = −1.4–2.5%). A significant increase of 4.1 ± 4.3% (p = 0.01; 95% CL = 0.8–7.4%) in the radial midshaft BMD of the exercising group was found; the estrogen alone group recorded a nonsignificant change of −0.3 ± 3.1% (p = 0.33; 95% CL = −1.7–2.4%). The results of this study suggest that variable‐resistance training in estrogen‐replete women adds bone to both the axial and appendicular skeleton.