High protein supplementation facilitates weight training induced bone mineralization in baseball players
Chen-Wei Chung Nutrition Available online 17 February 2020,
Highlights
• Bone consists of nearly 50% protein in tissue volume.
• Bones with relatively higher bone mineral density (BMD) show adaptation resistance against weight training among baseball players.
• The blunt adaptation due to high BMD can be mitigated by high whey protein supplemented before and immediately after each workout.
• The whole-body BMD of baseball players cannot be elevated further by weight training.
Purpose
To determine whether weight training combined with high protein intake enhances total and regional bone mineral density (BMD) in athletes.
Methods
BMD of 27 Division-1 collegiate baseball players aged 18-22 y (N=13, 2 dropouts) received either 14% protein or isocaloric 44% protein supplements and were assessed by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) before and following a 12-week weight training (challenging upper and lower body).
Results
Baseline data show unequivocally greater humerus BMD in the dominant arm than their contralateral non-dominant arm (∼ 20 %) among all baseball players. Humerus BMD of non-dominant arm was enhanced by 2.7 % after weight training for both low and high protein groups (main effect, P = 0.008), concurrent with an unexpected, small decrease in total body BMD (main effect, P = 0.014). Humerus BMD of dominant arm with greater baseline value than non-dominant arm was not increased unless high protein was supplemented (+2.7 %) (P < 0.05).
Conclusion
Bones with relatively higher BMD show blunt adaptation against training, which can be relieved by high protein supplementation. Total BMD of athletes cannot be further elevated by weight training.