Can osteopenia be reversed?

Yes, osteopenia can be reversed, primarily through resistance training. Sal Di Stefano from the Mind Pump Podcast discusses several cases and studies where individuals were able to not just halt bone loss but actually increase bone density through lifting weights.

One notable example is a client who reversed her osteopenia by lifting weights twice a week. This improvement was so significant that her results were turned into a case study 1. Research shows that while cardiovascular exercises like running may only slightly increase bone mass in the lower body, resistance training reliably increases bone mass throughout the entire body, including areas such as the spine and shoulders 2.

It's highlighted that muscle anchors to bone, and stronger muscles necessitate stronger bones. Therefore, by building muscle through resistance training, bones also become stronger 3.