Low Bone Mineral Density and Associated Risk Factors in Elite Cyclists at Different Stages of a Professional Cycling Career.

Purpose: This study aimed to assess the prevalence of low bone mineral density (BMD) in male and female elite cyclists at different stages of a professional cycling career and to identify potential risk factors of low BMD.

Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 93 male and female early career, advanced career, and postcareer elite cyclists completed dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry at the hip, femoral neck, lumbar spine, and total body; blood sampling; assessment of training history and injuries; and the bone-specific physical activity questionnaire. Backward stepwise multiple regression analyses were conducted to explore associations between BMD and its potential predictors in early and advanced career (i.