Arimidex and osteopenia and SS

[vietnamlit]

Hi all,

My mother's oncologist says she is losing bone, on the basis of a direct test. The physician suggests that the cause is the estrogen suppressant she has prescribed in the wake of successful therapy, Arimidex.

Mom is interested in addressing the bone loss through progressive barbell training. The SS coaches' directory lists no coach in Massachusetts so I am taking her on as my second student.

At the SS seminar here in North Carolina last month I asked Jordan Feigenbaum whether any commonly prescribed drugs interfere with recovery of bone, connective tissue and muscle after stress. Oh yes, he said, those intended to interfere with growth as in cancer.

What do we tell those taking such medications who wish to train? As a practical matter it seems to me we can simply train them and see if they get stronger.

If they lift more weight that means the bone, connective tissue and muscle have recovered from stress. Can I say then as a matter of physiology that if you are lifting more weight your bones are getting stronger?

The issue comes up in this case because the trainee is specifically interested in addressing her osteopenia. She moreover frames this issue in light of cancer, both her own and as a matter of public health.

Born in 1930, she began in 1985 to compete in several marathons each year to raise money for leukemia research. In 2005 she moved on to triathlons and now only does the bike and ocean swim legs, on a relay team.

I expect that mom will train progressively with a barbell just fine. I may even get her out of triathlons.

But can I tell her, yes, if you are lifting more weight you are mitigating the link theorized by your physician between the Arimidex he prescribes and the osteopenia he observes?

Cheers,

Dan

[carson]

Dr. Sullivan is the man to ask about medical questions. You can find him through the search engine. He and Andy Baker are the specialists in elder training.

[carson]

The man to ask Medical Questions in Dr. Johnathan Sullivan. He and Andy Baker are the specialists in elder coaching. There are coaches in NY and NJ which may or may not useful for you mom.

[vietnamlit]

Thanks. I think this is rather a question of physiology.

If we are talking medicine I don't have a license. If we are talking science, I am a scientist.

I will take it up with the physiologists in the research community here and let you all know if I find out anything.

Cheers,

Dan

[vanslix]

Strength training isn't going to reverse bone loss at that age and in a state of functional estrogen deficiency. But it is going to slow down the loss. The other very important factor is that it improves strengths and balance. If you don't fall, you don't break the hip.

With ANY cancer patient, you must be aware of any areas that are at risk of fractures or any areas damaged by mets. For example, if she had a met to the spine that resulted in a mild comoression fracture (yes, those can go undetected), I'd be extremely reluctant to have her putting a bar on her back.

In other words, there needs to be a tailoring of the program to the specifics of the individual. "Just do the program" isn't prudent advice. Pay for some online programming from Andy or Sully who have experience training elderly. It's more than worth the money spent in what you gain and you won't regret it. Few people realize that many of the elderly success stories posted by Rip et al here are clients who have. Every. Single. Rep. Monitored. by a SS coach. There's a reason for that. They still improve their functional health but it's done in a controlled and safe environment.