Analysis of combinatory effects of free weight resistance training and a high-protein diet on body composition and strength capacity in postmenopausal women - A 12-week randomized controlled trial.

J Nutr Health Aging

Institute for Cardiovascular Research and Sports Medicine, Department of Molecular and Cellular Sports Medicine, German Sports University Cologne, Cologne, Germany; Department of Fitness and Health, IST University of Applied Sciences, Dusseldorf, Germany.

Published: October 2024

Background: Menopause has a significant impact on the endocrine system of middle-aged women, resulting in a loss of skeletal muscle mass (SMM), changes in fat mass (FM) and a reduction in strength capacity. Resistance training (RT) and a high-protein diet (HPD) are effective methods for maintaining or increasing SMM. This study aims to determine the effects of HPD and RT on body composition, muscle thickness and strength capacity in postmenopausal women.

Methods: In total 55 healthy postmenopausal women (age: 58.2 ± 5.6 years, weight 69.1 ± 9.6 kg, height 166.5 ± 6.5 cm) successfully participated in the study. The women were randomly assigned to either group: training + protein (2.5 g/kg fat-free mass (FFM)) (n = 15; TP); only training (n = 12; T); only protein (2.5 g/kg FFM) (n = 14; CP) or control (n = 14; C). TP and T performed RT for 12 weeks with three training sessions and five exercises each. CP and C were prohibited from training during the period. The main parameters analysed for body composition were FFM, SMM, FM, muscle thickness of the M. rectus femoris, M. biceps femoris, M. triceps brachii and M. biceps brachii muscles. Strength was tested using a dynamometer for grip strength and 1-RM in the squat (BBS) and deadlift (DL).

Results: The SMM significantly increased by RT (TP: (Δ+1.4 ± 0.9 kg; p < 0.05; d = 0.4; T: Δ+1.2 ± 1.3kg; p < 0.05; d = 0.3) and FM could be reduced only in T: (Δ-2.4 ± 2.9 kg; p < 0.05; d = 0.3). In muscle thickness a significant increase in the M. biceps brachii in both training groups (TP: (Δ+0.4 ± 0.3 cm; p < 0.05; d = 1.6; T: (Δ+0.3 ± 0.3 cm; p < 0.05; d = 0.9) and in M. biceps femoris only in TP (Δ+0.3 ± 0.4 cm; p < 0.05; d = 0.9) were observed. HPD without training does not affect body composition, A significant increase in grip strength (TP: Δ+4.7 ± 2.4 kg; (p < 0.05; d = 1.5; T: (Δ+3.6 ± 3.0 kg; p < 0.05; d = 0.8), in BBS (TP: (Δ+30.0 ± 14.2 kg; p < 0.05; d = 1.5; T: (Δ+34.0 ± 12.0 kg; p < 0.05; d = 2.4) and in DL (TP: (Δ+20.8 ± 10.3 kg; p < 0.05; d = 1.6; T: (Δ+22.1 ± 7.6 kg; p < 0.05; d = 2.0) was observed in both training groups. The CP also recorded a significant increase in the BBS (Δ+7.5 ± 5.4 kg; p < 0.05; d = 0.4) and in DL (Δ+5.5 ± 7.7 kg; p < 0.05; d = 0.5). No significant differences were detected for TP and T for any of the parameters.

Conclusion: The results indicate that RT enhances body composition and strength capacity in postmenopausal women and is a preventive strategy against muscle atrophy. Besides HPD without training has a trivial significant effect on BBS and DL. HPD with RT has no clear additive effect on body composition and strength capacity. Further studies are needed to confirm these observations.

Download full-text PDF

Source
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jnha.2024.100349DOI Listing

Publication Analysis

Top Keywords

body composition
24
strength capacity
20
005
14
composition strength
12
capacity postmenopausal
12
postmenopausal women
12
muscle thickness
12
training
10
resistance training
8
training high-protein
8

Similar Publications

Want AI Summaries of new PubMed Abstracts delivered to your In-box?

Enter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!