Effects of endurance running and/or isoflavones on bone mineral density in ovariectomized adult female rat

Aim - To study the effects of endurance running (15 m/min during 20 min/day to 28 m/min during 1 h/d, 6 days/week during 12 weeks, corresponding to 62% of the VO2 max of the animals) or of a treatment by isoflavones (Soylife 100 : 400 mug j(-1) g(-1) of body weight during 12 weeks), either only or cumulated with running, on the osteopenia induced by castration in adult female rat. Results and discussion - Each one of these two treatment has a protective effect of the bone mineral density at the femoral total, diaphysaire and metaphysaire level But contrary to what had been reported on the cumulated effects of long term endurance running and of a 17beta-estradiol treatment [3], we did not note any additive effect of these two treatments. (C) 2002 Editions scientifiques et medicales Elsevier SAS. All rights reserved.