Several days ago I read an article in the New York Times about a scientist who alleges that he’s succeeded in “turning fat into bone” by utilizing harmonic vibrations. He was studying the effects of resonant vibrations on bone density when he postulated that certain types of vibration would result in denser bones, but was completely shocked to find that not only did bone density increase dramatically, but the amount of fat in the subject decreased proportionately as well.

“I was the biggest skeptic in the world,” Dr. Rubin said.““And I sit here and say, ‘This can’t possibly be happening.’ I feel like the credibility of my scientific career is sitting on a razor’s edge between ‘Wow, this is really cool,’ and ‘These people are nuts.’”

Other scientists are understandably hesitant to buy into this, citing that “correlation does not equal causation.” Just because the fat levels are decreasing while the bones get denser doesn’t necessarily mean that the fat is turning INTO bone. I think further study will probably bear out that there is some other cause for the fat decrease — like maybe the fact that the mice are forced to stand rather than lie down, thus expending more energy, or maybe that the vibrations excite them sexually and thus increase the metabolism — but the bone density findings are pretty cool. Imagine osteoporosis sufferers simply standing on a vibrating plate to strengthen their bones a few times a week, no longer worrying about going ballroom dancing or tying eachother up in the backroom of the bingo parlor.

If the findings are proven conclusive, however, it will be finally possible to say with utmost truthfulness that you’re not fat — just big-boned.

Defined tags for this entry: health problems, research, science, skepticism