Strength training and the menopause - Part 3

Strength training and the menopause - Part 3 

If you missed blog 2 you can read it here    

Here is the third key benefit of strength training for menopausal women: 

You build muscle mass 

Strength training has been shown to maintain and even build muscle mass in menopausal women.  

Did you know? 

Muscle mass slowly decreases in women after the 3rd decade of age and this decrease becomes faster for women when they reach the menopause.  

Muscle mass loss, known as atrophy, is one of the major contributing factors for a decline in functional performance and strength. This is one of the reasons why everyday activities can become more difficult.  

The Journal of Gerontology (2007) reported a decline of 0.6% per year of muscle mass after the onset of the menopause. Simply put, this is equivalent to 6% every decade. This decrease in muscle mass is strongly linked to age, known as 'sarcopenia' as well as other factors relating to the menopause such as a reduction in oestrogen.  

Furthermore, another study in the Journal of Gerontology (2003) reported that muscle loss increases to 5% to 10% each decade after the age 50 for both men and women.  

Importantly, there is something that you can do about this.  

Strength training has been proven across multiple studies to ward off the effects of muscle loss caused by both age and the menopause.  

A study published in the Journal of Sports Medicine and Physical Fitness (2013) found a 1.6% increase in muscle mass in postmenopausal women. The average age was 63 and this increase was shown after 12 months of strength training only twice per week.  

So you can expect to see even greater increases in muscle mass the earlier you start and the younger that you are. But remember, it is never too late to start.  Furthermore, another reason why it is important to maintain and build your muscle mass is that the more muscle mass you lose, the more your metabolism decreases.  

This slower metabolic rate can contribute to weight gain when you eat the same amount of calories but don't burn as many. This is due to the fact that muscle is a metabolically active tissue and the more calories you burn when exercising and at rest.  

The more muscle you have (think a sports car with a big engine), the higher your metabolism. Conversely, the less muscle you have (a car with a small engine), the lower your metabolism and the easier it is to gain fat. 

This is why it is really important to maintain your muscle mass to preserve your metabolism. 

So remember the old adage, "use it or lose it" and start strength training as early as possible to stay lean, get strong and add muscle mass.  

- Coach Alex