Re “Boning up” (Oct. 14): The author of the article on male osteoporosis might have added that the sport of cycling is a well-recognized contributor to premature osteoporosis. Because cycling is a non-weight-bearing activity, the stresses applied to our bones are minimal. As we age, good bone health demands solid weight-bearing activity, such as pumping weights or practicing yoga. While cycling is very good for our cardiovascular health, it does little to stimulate and maintain bone density. In fact, cycling without some form of “strength” training promotes bone loss due to the significant amounts of calcium lost due to sweating.
I’ve experienced this firsthand. Having been a competitive cyclist much of my life, I suffered a hip fracture, the same hip a previous bone scan had shown to be osteopenic. Unfortunately, I quit competitive cycling one crash too late!
— Greg Bowerman, Point Loma