Osteogenic impact of football training in 55- to 70-year-old women and men with prediabetes.

The effects of football training on bone health were examined in 55- to 70-year-old sedentary women and men with prediabetes. Patients (n = 50) with prediabetes (age; 61 +/- 9 years, BMI 29.7 +/- 0.6 kg/m(2), body fat content; 37 +/- 1%, VO2max; 22.7 +/- 0.8 mL/min/kg and mean arterial pressure; 104 +/- 3 mm Hg) were randomized into a football training group (FTG; n = 27, 14 women) and a control group (CON; n = 23, 11 women). At baseline, 73% and 24% were diagnosed with femur osteopenia and osteoporosis, respectively. FTG performed football training twice weekly 30-60-minute sessions in 16 weeks, and both FTG and CON received professional dietary advice. Pre- and post-intervention whole-body and regional bone mineral content (BMC) and density (BMD) were determined with DXA-scans, and venous blood samples were drawn and analyzed for plasma bone turnover markers. Change scores were greater (P < 0.05) in FTG compared to CON in leg BMD (0.023 +/- 0.005 vs -0.004 +/- 0.001 g/cm(2)) and in leg BMC (32 +/- 8 vs -4 +/- 6 g). Between-group changes in favor of FTG (P < 0.05) also occurred in the femur neck BMD (3.2%) and femur shaft BMD) (2.5%). Whole-body BMC and BMD were unchanged in both groups during the intervention. In FTG, resting plasma osteocalcin, P1NP, and CTX-1 rose (P < 0.05) by 23 +/- 8, 52 +/- 9 and 38 +/- 7%, with greater change scores (P < 0.05) than in CON. Finally, P1NP (formation)/CTX-1 (resorption) ratio increased (P < 0.05) in FTG (127 +/- 15 vs 150 +/- 11) from pre- to post-intervention, with no change in CON (124 +/- 12 and 123 +/- 12). In conclusion, football training provides a powerful osteogenic stimulus and improves bone health in 55- to 70-year-old women and men diagnosed with prediabetes.