A meta-analysis of 19 trials in postmenopausal women found adding exercise to medicine or supplements improved lumbar spine bone density, leg muscle strength, balance, and quality of life.
Reported an improvementMeta-analysis · 1,249 participants pooled · 2024PostmenopausalCited 13 timesPubMed
A meta-analysis of five trials in older or postmenopausal adults found creatine supplementation added to resistance training did not improve bone mineral density more than resistance training alone.
No difference foundMeta-analysis · 193 participants pooled · 12 weeks · 2018PostmenopausalCited 22 timesPubMed
A meta-analysis of 4 RCTs with 609 postmenopausal women found isoflavone supplements combined with exercise training did not significantly increase bone mineral density compared with placebo.
No difference foundMeta-analysis · 609 participants pooled · 2020PostmenopausalCited 3 timesPubMed
A meta-analysis of seven trials, median 38 weeks, found creatine supplementation, especially with resistance training, modestly increased lean mass and leg-press strength in postmenopausal women without changing bone density.
No difference foundMeta-analysis · 608 participants pooled · 2026PostmenopausalCited 2 timesPubMed
A meta-analysis of 14 trials with 763 women across reproductive stages found protein, amino acid or creatine supplementation added to exercise did not improve muscle mass or bone density but improved bench press and handgrip strength.
No difference foundMeta-analysis · 763 participants pooled · 2026Midlife womenPubMed
Postmenopausal women doing weight-bearing exercise plus calcium for 2 years had less bone loss at the femoral neck than calcium supplementation alone.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 168 women · 104 weeks · 1995PostmenopausalCited 187 timesPubMed
Early postmenopausal women doing 12 months of jumping exercise, with or without alendronate, showed no change in spine or hip bone density but improved leg power, balance and cardiorespiratory fitness.
No difference foundRandomised trial · 164 women · 52 weeks · 2003Early postmenopausalCited 117 timesPubMed
Postmenopausal women taking calcium, with or without hormone therapy, who did supervised weight-bearing and resistance exercise three times weekly for a year had greater bone density gains at some sites than non-exercisers.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 320 women · 52 weeks · 2003PostmenopausalCited 91 timesPubMed
Postmenopausal women with osteopenia did 6 months of Tai Chi with or without green tea extract; both increased bone formation markers and improved muscle strength.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 150 women · 26 weeks · 2012PostmenopausalCited 78 timesPubMed
Postmenopausal women did 2 years of resistance and walking exercise with or without soy isoflavones, and exercise groups maintained hip bone density and improved balance compared with control.
Mixed resultsRandomised trial · 351 women · 104 weeks · 2013PostmenopausalCited 62 timesPubMed
Postmenopausal Japanese women who walked 45 minutes 3 times weekly for a year had reduced fat mass, increased HDL cholesterol, and less bone loss at the hip.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 136 women · 52 weeks · 2006Early postmenopausalCited 87 timesPubMed
In 113 institutionalized elderly women over 6 months, whole body vibration training did not improve muscle strength, mass or hip bone density beyond vitamin D supplementation alone.
No difference foundRandomised trial · 113 women · 26 weeks · 2011PostmenopausalCited 80 timesPubMed
Postmenopausal breast cancer survivors with bone loss did 24 months of strength training alongside medication, calcium and vitamin D, and those who exercised were less likely to lose bone density at the hip.
Mixed resultsRandomised trial · 223 women · 104 weeks · 2010PostmenopausalCited 69 timesPubMed
In postmenopausal Japanese women over 24 weeks, walking combined with isoflavone intake increased HDL cholesterol and decreased body fat, with bone density effects depending on equol-producer status.
Mixed resultsRandomised trial · 128 women · 24 weeks · 2006PostmenopausalCited 82 timesPubMed
In a one-year trial, 36 postmenopausal women who walked had a 0.5% increase in lumbar spine trabecular bone density, versus a 7.0% decrease in sedentary women.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 36 women · 52 weeks · 1991PostmenopausalCited 135 timesPubMed
Overweight postmenopausal women did 6 months of resistance and aerobic exercise with or without soy isoflavones; exercise reduced fat mass and increased lean mass, with no added benefit from isoflavones.
Direction not statedRandomised trial · 100 women · 26 weeks · 2011PostmenopausalCited 65 timesPubMed
A meta-analysis of 13 RCTs found postmenopausal women combining exercise with calcium and vitamin D had greater increases in lumbar spine and femoral neck bone density than supplements alone, with whole-body vibration most effective.
Reported an improvementMeta-analysis · 2025PostmenopausalPubMed
Postmenopausal women doing resistance training for 12 months with creatine supplementation showed less femoral neck bone loss and greater strength gains than resistance training with placebo.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 33 women · 52 weeks · 2015PostmenopausalCited 61 timesPubMed
In 53 postmenopausal women doing 12 months of resistance training, power training maintained hip and spine bone density while slower strength training lost bone at both sites.
Mixed resultsRandomised trial · 53 women · 52 weeks · 2005PostmenopausalCited 70 timesPubMed
Postmenopausal women with osteoporosis did 1 to 2 years of walking and gymnastic exercise with calcium and vitamin D; lumbar bone density increased with training but the gain was lost after stopping exercise.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 35 women · 104 weeks · 2001PostmenopausalCited 83 timesPubMed
Overweight postmenopausal women did a 12 month weight loss program with aerobic exercise plus vitamin D3 or placebo, and vitamin D did not improve lean mass or bone density but leg strength decreased more.
No difference foundRandomised trial · 218 women · 52 weeks · 2016PostmenopausalCited 38 timesPubMed
Postmenopausal women who practiced a modified Eight-Section Brocade exercise for 12 months, with or without calcium, had increased bone density, less back pain and better balance than controls.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 198 women · 52 weeks · 2015PostmenopausalCited 36 timesPubMed
Early postmenopausal women with osteopenia doing high-intensity weight-bearing resistance training three times weekly for about 13 months improved spine bone density, lean mass, body fat, strength and menopausal symptoms versus low-intensity controls.
Mixed resultsRandomised trial · 54 women · 56 weeks · 2021Early postmenopausalCited 38 timesPubMed
Postmenopausal women with osteopenia did 52 weeks of hip-targeted strength, balance and jumping exercise with calcium, and showed a small hip bone density benefit plus better quality of life versus controls.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 39 women · 52 weeks · 2012PostmenopausalCited 49 timesPubMed
In 43 postmenopausal women over 9 months, moderate-intensity endurance exercise did not favorably change bone turnover markers or bone mineral density, with or without soy protein.
No difference foundRandomised trial · 43 women · 39 weeks · 2007PostmenopausalCited 53 timesPubMed
In postmenopausal women taking calcium and vitamin D, 24 weeks of high-intensity aquatic exercise increased a bone formation marker and limited bone resorption and femoral bone loss compared with controls.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 108 women · 24 weeks · 2014PostmenopausalCited 36 timesPubMed
Postmenopausal women aged about 66 did resistance training 3 times weekly for 6 months with or without antioxidant vitamins; lumbar spine bone density declined only in the placebo group, remaining stable with exercise.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 34 women · 26 weeks · 2009PostmenopausalCited 50 timesPubMed
Over 2 years, postmenopausal women doing resistance training and walking with creatine supplementation showed no extra bone density benefit over placebo, but some bone geometry and lean mass measures improved.
No difference foundRandomised trial · 237 women · 104 weeks · 2023PostmenopausalCited 24 timesPubMed
In early postmenopausal cancer survivors, 12 months of supervised aerobic resistance exercise versus home-based activity did not significantly differ in bone mineral density outcomes.
No difference foundRandomised trial · 154 women · 52 weeks · 2016Early postmenopausalCited 27 timesPubMed
Postmenopausal women did progressive strength training for up to 4 years, and higher exercise frequency was linked to greater bone density gains at the hip and spine, especially among hormone therapy users.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 167 women · 208 weeks · 2005PostmenopausalCited 34 timesPubMed
Postmenopausal women did strength training three times weekly for 12 months, with or without etidronate, and gained muscle strength and lean mass and lost fat, but exercise did not add to bone density gains from the drug.
No difference foundRandomised trial · 48 women · 52 weeks · 2002PostmenopausalCited 46 timesPubMed
In early postmenopausal women doing 24 weeks of strength training, those given a protein and calcium supplement after sessions gained more muscle mass, strength and femoral neck bone density than placebo.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 24 weeks · 2008Early postmenopausalCited 87 timesPubMed
Postmenopausal women with low bone density who did whole-body vibration plus calcium and vitamin D for 24 weeks had greater increases in leg muscle work and lumbar and femoral bone density than those taking supplements alone.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 43 women · 24 weeks · 2020PostmenopausalCited 30 timesPubMed
Early postmenopausal women did periodized high intensity resistance and impact exercise for a year, and spine bone density was maintained versus a significant decline in the non-exercise control group.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 128 women · 52 weeks · 2010Early postmenopausalCited 30 timesPubMed
Urban Malaysian women aged 45 plus followed a lifestyle intervention for 18 to 20 months, which slowed postmenopausal spine and hip bone loss compared with controls.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 279 women · 80 weeks · 2005Midlife womenCited 28 timesPubMed
Postmenopausal women with low bone mass did 12 months of bone-loading exercise plus calcium and vitamin D, and researchers found smaller bone density gains than with risedronate, but some improvement versus no-treatment control.
Mixed resultsRandomised trial · 276 women · 52 weeks · 2022PostmenopausalCited 17 timesPubMed
In women around age 61, calcium supplementation before and during vigorous treadmill walking attenuated the rise in parathyroid hormone seen with exercise, compared to a control beverage.
Mixed resultsRandomised trial · 23 women · 2014PostmenopausalCited 33 timesPubMed
Postmenopausal Korean women who completed a 12-week lifestyle program combining exercise, education and calcium-vitamin D supplementation showed greater improvements in bone health knowledge and behaviors than controls.
Direction not statedRandomised trial · 41 women · 12 weeks · 2014PostmenopausalCited 28 timesPubMed
Postmenopausal women did 9 months of resistance training or stretching with ibuprofen or placebo; exercise did not change bone density but increased strength and reduced body fat versus stretching.
No difference foundRandomised trial · 90 women · 36 weeks · 2016PostmenopausalCited 22 timesPubMed
A systematic review of 34 studies in postmenopausal women found strength training improved body composition, muscle strength and bone density, while added protein gave no extra strength benefit.
Reported an improvementSystematic review · 1,541 participants pooled · 2026PostmenopausalPubMed
In 244 women aged 45 to 65 doing a 4-month resistance exercise program, adding a fortified milk drink gave extra gains in lean mass, bone content and balance but not in muscle strength versus exercise with placebo.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 216 women · 16 weeks · 2020Midlife womenCited 14 timesPubMed
Osteopenic postmenopausal women took soy protein alone or with 12 weeks of resistance exercise 4 times weekly; the combined group showed greater gains in muscle strength and bone measures.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 60 women · 12 weeks · 2013PostmenopausalCited 19 timesPubMed
Overweight postmenopausal women did 16 weeks of resistance training with or without DHA supplementation, with training maintaining bone mineral content, increasing lean mass and strength, and improving glucose tolerance.
No difference foundRandomised trial · 16 weeks · 2021PostmenopausalCited 36 timesPubMed
In 614 postmenopausal women at high osteoporosis risk, two years of tai chi or calcium and vitamin D supplementation were linked to differing changes in grip strength and bone turnover markers across groups.
Mixed resultsRandomised trial · 614 women · 104 weeks · 2017PostmenopausalCited 10 timesPubMed
Older postmenopausal women did 32 weeks of elastic band resistance training with or without seawater supplementation and researchers found resistance training, not the supplement, drove improved strength and lower body fat.
Direction not statedRandomised trial · 93 women · 32 weeks · 2023PostmenopausalCited 10 timesPubMed
Postmenopausal women did 2 years of fast walking or high impact training with calcium and vitamin D, and high impact training improved femoral neck bone density more than walking.
Mixed resultsRandomised trial · 34 women · 104 weeks · 2018PostmenopausalCited 14 timesPubMed
In postmenopausal women with low bone mass, 12 months of weighted jogging and resistance exercise improved some hip bone strength measures similarly to risedronate, with neither clearly superior.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 276 women · 52 weeks · 2024PostmenopausalCited 7 timesPubMed
In women aged 50 to 75 over two years, calcium supplements reduced spinal and hip bone loss only in those with lower physical activity, not in those with higher activity levels.
Mixed resultsRandomised trial · 418 women · 104 weeks · 2019Midlife womenCited 7 timesPubMed
Early postmenopausal women who did high-resistance strength training and high-impact aerobics for 3 years maintained bone density at the spine and hip, unlike controls who lost bone.
Reported an improvementControlled trial · 78 women · 156 weeks · 2006Early postmenopausalCited 85 timesPubMed
In postmenopausal women doing 12 weeks of resistance training, adding L-carnitine supplementation changed some blood markers but did not change bone mineral density compared with placebo.
No difference foundRandomised trial · 27 women · 12 weeks · 2023PostmenopausalCited 6 timesPubMed
Early postmenopausal women did 12 months of exercise with or without alendronate; exercise raised muscle power, balance and aerobic capacity but gains faded 15 months after stopping.
No difference foundRandomised trial · 102 women · 65 weeks · 2004Early postmenopausalCited 5 timesPubMed
Early postmenopausal women with low bone density did a 14 month high-impact, strength and endurance program and had increased lumbar spine bone density, strength and fitness versus controls.
Reported an improvementControlled trial · 100 women · 60 weeks · 2003Early postmenopausalCited 34 timesPubMed
Perimenopausal women aged 30 to 35 took dietary calcium or calcium citrate plus physical activity three times weekly for seven months; researchers measured changes in biochemical bone markers.
Mixed resultsRandomised trial · 82 women · 30 weeks · 2005PerimenopausalCited 2 timesPubMed
Postmenopausal women with osteosarcopenia did 6 months of supervised resistance training plus nutrition support, improving muscle mass and grip strength more than home exercise, with no difference in bone density.
No difference foundRandomised trial · 34 women · 24 weeks · 2025PostmenopausalCited 1 timesPubMed
Early postmenopausal women did high impact aerobic, jumping and resistance exercise for 50 months, maintaining spine bone density and improving cholesterol, body fat and strength versus non-training controls.
Reported an improvementControlled trial · 68 women · 217 weeks · 2007Early postmenopausalCited 18 timesPubMed
Postmenopausal women with knee osteoarthritis did 24 weeks of home leg exercises with or without vitamin D3 or E, and all groups improved in symptoms and strength with no added benefit from supplements.
Mixed resultsRandomised trial · 80 women · 24 weeks · 2026PostmenopausalPubMed
A 6-month pilot trial in 36 postmenopausal women combining weight-bearing aerobic exercise with calcium and vitamin D fortified meals found no significant difference in bone density between groups.
No difference foundRandomised trial · 36 women · 26 weeks · 2026Early postmenopausalPubMed
Among 30 postmenopausal breast cancer survivors entering an 18-month bone health program, 80% had abnormal baseline bone mineral density scores.
Reported a worseningBefore-and-after study · 30 women · 78 weeks · 2001PostmenopausalCited 31 timesPubMed
In 21 postmenopausal breast cancer survivors, a 12-month program of home strength training plus alendronate, calcium and vitamin D improved balance, muscle strength and spine and hip bone density.
Mixed resultsBefore-and-after study · 21 women · 52 weeks · 2003PostmenopausalCited 30 timesPubMed
Postmenopausal women with osteopenia or osteoporosis did high-impact training, impact plus calcium/vitamin D, or brisk walking plus supplements for 2 years; the impact plus supplement group showed the largest bone density gains.
Reported an improvementBefore-and-after study · 39 women · 104 weeks · 2022PostmenopausalCited 4 timesPubMed
A review reported that postmenopausal women taking high dose creatine may gain skeletal muscle size and function, with favorable bone effects when combined with resistance training.
Reported an improvementOther · 2021PostmenopausalCited 62 timesPubMed
In 8 pre-menopausal women with idiopathic osteoporosis, a year of walking and training plus calcium and vitamin D increased spine bone density by 3.5% but not femoral neck.
Mixed resultsBefore-and-after study · 8 women · 52 weeks · 2008OtherCited 1 timesPubMed
A review reported that calcium supplementation plus aerobic training increased femoral neck cortical bone density in postmenopausal women, while exercise also increased trabecular bone in the spine.
Reported an improvementOther · 1998Midlife womenCited 25 timesPubMed
A review of postmenopausal women found estrogen or soy isoflavones combined with exercise training may increase bone mineral density more than either alone, and slightly increased lean mass.
Mixed resultsOther · 2008PostmenopausalCited 19 timesPubMed
A 55-year-old postmenopausal breast cancer survivor following a supervised resistance, aerobic and balance program with diet and supplements for 16 months saw bone density rise at the spine and hip.
Reported an improvementOther · 1 women · 70 weeks · 2026PostmenopausalPubMed
A review synthesized evidence on combining structured exercise with functional foods and supplements like vitamin D in postmenopausal women, finding the clinical evidence for bone and quality of life benefits remains heterogeneous.
Mixed resultsOther · 2026PostmenopausalPubMed
A review reported that exercise and nutritional supplements helped increase or slow loss of bone mineral density after menopause, but benefits faded once the intervention stopped.
Reported an improvementOther · 2004PostmenopausalPubMed