Research For Post-Menopausal Women
I'm going to start this post by reminding you how little research is conducted specifically on menopausal women. This is unfortunate news in 2024, and it also means that many women are not receiving the right information to follow the most effective guidelines for maintaining good health, strength, and mobility as they age. Fortunately, for those of you reading this, I am immersing myself in everything I can find about building strength and staying well during menopause, and I'm here to share it with you.
Resistance Training & Muscle Gains Post-Menopause
Dr. Bill Campbell PhD recently reviewed a study that investigated how resistance training (lifting weights or using resistance bands to strengthen muscles) can increase muscle hypertrophy (growth) in pre- and post-menopausal women. The study was conducted over a 10-week period, and participants were divided into three groups. The pre-menopausal group followed a moderate-load program. In contrast, the post-menopausal group was split into two subgroups: one performed a moderate-load program, while the other followed a low-load program. The reason for having the post-menopausal group do two different programs was to see if lifting lighter weights could be as effective (or possibly even better) than lifting heavier weights in a post-menopausal state.
Does It Really Get Harder to Build Muscle Post-Menopause?
Unfortunately, the results of this study were not favourable when it came to muscle gains and changes in body composition (the ratio of muscle, fat, and other tissue in the body) for post-menopausal women. The study showed no increase in muscle size and an increase in total fat mass for the post-menopausal groups. Like all studies, there were some methodological flaws, and the participant pool was only 30, making it a very small study. That said, all three groups gained strength, which is hugely beneficial for maintaining independence as they age, and it shows that untrained women can still gain strength, even when starting with lighter loads.
Study Shortcomings
Since this study lasted only 10 weeks and the participants were not guided in dietary changes, such as increasing protein (which helps repair and build muscle tissue) and fibre intake, it's not possible to conclude that post-menopausal women cannot gain muscle. However, it is a reminder that developing a healthy lifestyle, including strength training earlier in life, is extremely important for every aspect of our health and wellness.
What Do We Know?
As I mentioned at the start of this post, the limited research on women in menopause means we must not let studies like this dishearten us completely. Let’s remember what we do know:
Lifting weights that get progressively heavier over time will increase overall strength and capacity.
Eating at least 1.5g of protein per kg of body weight per day is essential as we age to prevent muscle loss. For example, if you weigh 70 kg, aim for about 105g of protein per day. This can be spread across meals with foods like eggs, chicken, lentils, or tofu.
Zone 2 cardiovascular fitness is important throughout life, especially as we age. This means working at a moderate intensity where you can still hold a conversation but are slightly out of breath. Any aerobic activity will work—walking, treadmill, biking, rowing, etc.
Short bursts of maximal effort exercise, such as sprint intervals, improve body composition, increase insulin sensitivity, decrease fasting blood glucose levels, and relieve stress. Aim for 30 seconds with complete recovery between x4 reps. Perform this after a Zone 2 cardio session to ensure you’re fully warmed up.
Don't Be Disheartened
Just because one study showed that post-menopausal women may struggle to gain muscle doesn’t mean there’s no point in lifting weights. Women around the world are showing us what’s possible when it comes to fitness as we age. Yes, losing body fat and building muscle may take more effort now, but we are worth that effort.
I don’t know about you, but I want to be strong and active well into my later years, and I’m doing everything I can to make that happen.
What Are Your Thoughts?
What are your thoughts on this recent study? Have you noticed it is harder to build muscle as you age? Are you lifting consistently and eating the recommended protein intake? How is your sleep right now? Oh yeah! And your stress levels....What could you improve?
I look forward to hearing from you.
Mel x
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