Scientists at SUNY Stony Brook have found that by putting mice on a platform that buzzes at a low frequency for 15 minutes a day, five days a week, for 15 weeks, they have 27 percent less fat than mice that did not stand on the platform — and correspondingly more bone.“Bone is notorious for ‘use it or lose it,’” Dr. Rubin said. “Astronauts lose 2 percent of their bone a month. People lose 2 percent a decade after age 35. Then you look at the other side of the equation. Professional tennis players have 35 percent more bone in their playing arm. What is it about mechanical signals that makes Roger Federer’s arm so big?”Apparently this vibration triggers those mechanical signals to grow more bone instead of storing fat in the marrow. The caution is that they don't know if it works in humans yet and maybe it will work to well and cause too much bone growth.
Some answers may come from the federal clinical trial, which will include 200 elderly people in assisted living.
...and maybe Barry Bonds.
Which NFL or MLB team will be the first to invest in this so that their players never break their bones again? Patriots with their mad genius coach, Redskins with their bottomless money pit owner? Sure, we're about 10 steps away from players becoming Wolverine with bones laced in metal, but super boned athletes would be one hell of a way to never see players get hurt because of a broken bone. Sign Ken Griffey up right away.
From NY Times
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