Relationship of menopause to skeletal and muscle mass

Article Abstract:

Just prior to menopause, the production of female sex hormones decreases and the menstrual cycle becomes irregular. Menopause occurs when the menstrual cycle stops and the ovaries stop making a hormone called estrogen. When estrogen production decreases, several physiological changes occur. It is not uncommon for women to experience fatigue, irritability, anxiety, and hot flashes (a sudden increase in body temperature). Many studies have reported that women also experience a loss of bone mass after menopause and become more susceptible to bone fractures. Other studies have reported that bone and muscle mass decrease as people grow older and become less active. Body fat tends to increase as people grow older, and it has been suggested that this may help to protect against the loss of bone mass (osteoporosis). This article describes the results of a study that examined the relationship between total body fat (TBF), total body potassium (TBK, an indicator of body cell mass), and bone mass in 108 premenopausal and 96 postmenopausal women. The mean body weight and height were comparable for both groups of women. The data indicated that within the first three years after menopause begins, TBK, muscle mass, and bone mass decrease. TBK was related to total body calcium and bone density, but there was no relationship between TBF and bone density. These findings indicate that fat does not protect against loss of bone mass. Hormone supplements have been used to prevent bone loss in postmenopausal women, but it is not known if this treatment can prevent loss of muscle as well. (Consumer Summary produced by Reliance Medical Information, Inc.)

Minerals (Nutrients), Potassium in the body, Potassium (Nutrient), Minerals in the body

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The influence of menopause and hormonal replacement therapy on body cell mass and body fat mass

Article Abstract:

Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) in postmenopausal women does not appear to prevent a gain in fat and a loss of lean body tissue. A group of 118 women between 6 months and 6 years after menopause were randomly assigned to receive hormone replacement, calcium supplementation, or placebo. Women underwent annual dual photon absorptiometry, which measures the ratio of fat to total soft tissue, over the three-year trial. Women in the calcium group increased 12.5% in fat tissue mass per year, women in the HRT group increased 18.0% in fat tissue mass per year, and women in the placebo group increased 13.9% in fat tissue mass per year. They lost 5.6%, 7.4%, and 5.5% of lean tissue mass per year, respectively.

Usage, Hormone therapy, Calcium (Nutrient), Calcium, Dietary

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Relative influence of age and menopause on total and regional body composition changes in postmenopausal women

Article Abstract:

Menopause may lead to shifting of body fat location. This may help explain the increased risk of heart disease. Researchers analyzed bone density and body composition in 205 healthy, white women aged 45 to 70 years. Within five years after menopause, body fat content decreased in the legs and increased in the trunk. This shift related to years since menopause, not to age. Increased upper-body fat has been a associated with increased risk of cholesterol deposits within blood vessels.

Health aspects, Cardiovascular diseases, Risk factors, Body composition, Postmenopausal women

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