In that linked article there is only one reference to mtbers :

Warner SE, Shaw JM, Dalsky GP. 2002. Bone mineral density of competitive male mountain and road cyclists. Bone 30(1):281-6.

STUDY CONCLUSION: “Higher BMD in the mountain cyclists suggests that mountain cycling may provide an osteogenic stimulus that is not inherent to road cycling.”

COMMENTS: Three groups were studied: 16 competitive mountain bikers, 14 competitive road cyclists and 15 recreationally active men (control group). BMD was significantly higher at all sites in the mountain cyclists compared with the road cyclists and controls. Mountain biking may not have as deleterious an effect on BMD as road cycling. The study also suggests that it may be more beneficial than being “recreationally active.” This may be due to the need to dismount and run with, and perhaps even carry, the bike over challenging sections on the course.

which implies that mtbing is better than road and also normally active men.

So it probably best to ride an XC-class bike over terrain that is a mix of XC (distance, climbs => interval work) and descents, where the reduced travel on the XC bike means that you get knocked about more and so get more load-bearing effect. This is assuming that the reduced travel and steeper angles on the XC don’t result in an off that undoes the other benefits!

CHRIS BOARDMAN: I had to give up cycling at 32 because I had the bones of an old woman.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/diets/article-1227777/CHRIS-BOARDMAN-I-cycling-32-I-bones-old-woman.html

So for bone density we should all be riding rigid singlespeeds.

I’m sure it works – many people have commented on the density of my skull.

I’ve been doing most of my riding lately on a fully rigid bike, after years of FS. Given the beating I seem to be getting I’m sure my bone density is higher than ever.. maybe that’s why I’m still so fat heavy dense. Wait, that’s no better..

With strenuous exercise (under non-tropical conditions) you lose typically 20mg of calcium an hour via sweating and a 200mL of milk contains about 250mg.

Calcium loss from 10 hours sweaty action replensihed in a few gulps, really not an issue……

My shins look like a welders bench, I’m scarred in various other places from all sorts of minor calamities and I can no longer feel three of my toes due to nerve damage.

Otherwise I think MTB has had very positive health benefits, mostly mental.

Calcium loss from 10 hours sweaty action replensihed in a few gulps, really not an issue

Assuming all the calcium in the milk gets absorbed and ends up in your bones…

EDIT: from the internet

individuals usually absorb only about 30 percent of the dietary calcium they consume

If anyone else is Dairy Free, or like me Anti-Diary (I hate milk, not a fan of butter or cheese) and wants to up their intake I recommend Hovis Best of Both bread, it’s good, if not amazing to taste, but it has 239mg of calcium per slice.

A dietician recommended it for our daughter, she’s diary free due to allergies.

Assuming all the calcium in the milk gets absorbed and ends up in your bones…

…also assuminmg all the calcium lost in sweat is leached from your bones

let’s face it though, everyday sportpersons are pretty much unaffected by any of the nutritional disfunction or foibles of the pro level performers.

Just eat what would be taken as a healthy average diet, drink a few glasses of water extra in hot weather, a milky drink after exercise and lay off the booze’n’fags – sorted.

hilldodger – Member

let’s face it though, everyday sportpersons are pretty much unaffected by any of the nutritional disfunction or foibles of the pro level performers.

Nothing to do with pro level performers, there’s a well established link here between cycling and osteoperosis and not just at elite level. But what would my consultant know?

hilldodger – Member

…also assuminmg all the calcium lost in sweat is leached from your bones

Nope. You’re potentially reducing your bones’ calcium supply, you’re not leeching anything from them.

Hovis Best of Both bread, it’s good, if not amazing to taste

It makes the best toast though.

My favorite recovery drink at present is coconut milk n mango smoothie with added ginger n cinnamon.(Cows milk tends to split)

Prepare before i go for ride n chill in fridge

Mangos cheap at aldi or lidl n coconut milk from lidl keeps cost down too

50 here by the way ,ride about twice a week at least.

@molgrips
Tennis players also have increased bone density due to the repeated impacts. Sorry, forgot to add that. Someone else has already posted about MTB and bone density. Seems to follow the same logic.

Dentistry.

Riders who put plenty hours in have terrible teath and/or hallitosis (nice!) or rich dentists.

…But what would my consultant know?

whatever medical discipline he’s a specialist in I would hope, but the link between lack of BMD and cyclists really only applies to the pro-level, apologies if that covers your training levels

From the study that everyone seems to use as their basis for this hysteria
“…The cyclists were all racing in professional teams at the time of the study, and had participated in at least one of the main 3-week stage races (Giro d’Italia, Tour de France or Vuelta a España) in each of the previous three years and training and racing for upwards of 22-25 hours per week”

sound like any of the cyclists you know? thought not…..

Nope. You’re potentially reducing your bones’ calcium supply, you’re not leeching anything from them

hear that woooooshing noise? that’s my point flying waaay over your head 😆

Hilldodger, that’s far from the only study, but nice selective choice. I don’t think your “point” ever got off the ground never mind getting over head height tbh, since it was just completely backwards. Or was that the point, the whole thing’s some sort of weird troll?

The guys who do my dexa scans don’t know my medical history, every time I go in they assume it’s from cycling. But experts eh, what do they know.

…every time I go in they assume it’s from cycling

assumption isn’t really what I’d exepct “experts” to do, seems like a medical version of an urban myth “oh yeah, osteoporosis, that’ll be another cyclist then”

…the whole thing’s some sort of weird troll?

well I guess it kind of is, in asmuch as it’s a reaction to all the “I read it on the internet” or “my doctor says, so it must be true” postings here – anyway, take care, dangerous stuff this cycling 😉

hilldodger – Member

seems like a medical version of an urban myth “oh yeah, osteoporosis, that’ll be another cyclist then”

Clearly you know what you want to believe and nothing I post will make any difference. Carry on but I don’t get it at all. What’s your background, that makes you think you know better than osteoporosis specialists?

mtb definitely gives me a bit of a headache. Every Wednesday after my regular Tuesday night ride I get up feeling less than brilliant. I’ve often had to get up for a wee in the night too.

Why on earth aren’t we warned about these side effects? (I was saying in the pub last night.)

Bruises,
Scratches,
Dodgy tan lines (wedding outfits are a nightmare),
Permanently chipped nail polish,
Always come home from trips back into work totally knackered, needing a rest!
….but hey…….. I can have lots of fun, eat lots of cake and drink lots of beer with fab friends and loved ones.
Also, the hike-a-bike is pretty weight-bearing so hopefully no osteoporosis for me!
What’s not to love 🙂

Hang on if we sweat out lots of Calcium. What about Sauna’s and sweating?

I’ve had saunas since I was 12 (and no not saunas with saddles/stirrups in)

Do you spend four hours in the sauna?

Well we’re all different but it certainly hasn’t done me any harm, certainly not as much damage as pounding the pavements would have if Id kept it up. I’ve been riding an ATB regularly for thirty years now, in fact come to think of it this year is my thirtieth anniversay.

I find it keeps my stomach muscles toned which helps me sailing, it gives a little upper body definition but not as much as when I was able to punch out fifty press ups daily, my legs are toned (obviously) but it doesn’t stop cramp, yes if you crash you can break stuff but luckily I’ve only cracked the odd rib and dissed a shoulder and I tend to ride within my limits, limits which got a little extended thanks to a visit to the Jedi a while back.

I’m always nettled, and scratched, it’s bad this time of year, but hey small price to pay for like the other guy back there, being down to weight and able to run anywhere anytime without becoming breathless, tried road biking, hated it, got one for sale or swap for something with an engine in the class ads somewhere.

I’d hate to face life without a bike and a country trail..