Resistance training alters body composition in middle-aged women depending on menopause - A 20-week control trial

BMC Women's Health

Research

Tim Havers¹  Simon Gavanda¹  Dominik Kaluza¹  Stephan Geisler¹  Ana Elbeshausen¹  Eduard Isenmann²  Patrick Diel³  Ulrich Flenker³  Katharina Hofmann³ 

[1] Department of Fitness and Health, IST University of Applied Sciences, Düsseldorf, Germany;Department of Fitness and Health, IST University of Applied Sciences, Düsseldorf, Germany;Institute for Cardiovascular Research and Sports Medicine, German Sport University Cologne, Cologne, Germany;Institute for Cardiovascular Research and Sports Medicine, German Sport University Cologne, Cologne, Germany;

关键词: Middle-aged women;    Menopause;    Hypertrophy;    Muscle mass;    Resistance training;    Strength;   

DOI  :  10.1186/s12905-023-02671-y

 received in 2023-04-21, accepted in 2023-09-21,  发布年份 2023

来源: Springer

【 摘 要 】

BackgroundResistance training (RT) is effective in counteracting the age- and menopause-related loss of muscle mass (MM) and strength in middle-aged women (40–60 years). Research on RT with free weights is limited in pre- and post-menopausal women. Based on this, a 20-week training intervention was conducted with this population to investigate the effects of systematic RT with free weights on strength capacity and body composition.MethodForty-one healthy women (52.0 ± 3.6 years) participated in this study. After 10-week control phase (no RT, T0-T1) followed by a 10-week intervention phase (T1-T2) with RT twice a week and 6–8 sets of each muscle per week. Subjects were randomly assigned to a low-intensity (50% 1-RM) or moderate-intensity (75% 1-RM) RT group and divided into pre-menopausal and post-menopausal according to their hormone profile. Fat-free mass (FFM), MM, fat mass (FM), muscle thickness (Vastus lateralis (VL), Rectus femoris (RF), Triceps brachii (TB)), grip strength, 1-RM squat and bench press were assessed before and after each phase. Statistical analysis was performed using a linear mixed model to account for fixed (time and group) and random (individual) effects.ResultsA total of 31 women successfully completed the study. No injuries occurred during the intervention. Significant increases in 1-RM squat and bench press were observed in all groups. No interaction effect was observed for the strength parameters. In pre-menopausal women, FFM, MM and RF muscle thickness increased significantly, while VL showed a trend. These effects were not present in post-menopausal women regardless of RT intensity.ConclusionRT with free weight is safe and effective for middle-aged women to increase 1-RM. Hypertrophy effects were found exclusively in pre-menopausal women. To achieve hypertrophy and/or body composition changes in post-menopausal women, larger training volumes (> 6–8 sets/muscle per week) are likely required.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
© BioMed Central Ltd., part of Springer Nature 2023

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