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Estrogen replacement, muscle composition, and physical function: The Health ABC Study.

Dennis R Taaffe1, Anne B Newman, Catherine L Haggerty

  • 1School of Human Movement Studies, Faculty of Health Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia. dtaaffe@hms.uq.edu.au

Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise
|November 2, 2005
PubMed
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Estrogen replacement therapy (ERT) in older women showed minor improvements in muscle composition and grip strength. However, these modest effects did not lead to better physical function, suggesting ERT may not be beneficial for muscle health.

Area of Science:

  • Gerontology
  • Muscle Physiology
  • Endocrinology

Background:

  • Estrogen's role in postmenopausal women's health is debated, particularly for skeletal muscle mass and strength.
  • Previous research on estrogen's benefits for cardiovascular and cognitive health has yielded conflicting results.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the association between estrogen replacement therapy (ERT) and muscle composition in older women.
  • To determine if ERT is linked to enhanced muscle strength and physical function in this demographic.

Main Methods:

  • Cross-sectional analysis of 840 community-dwelling white women aged 70-79.
  • Muscle composition assessed via computed tomography (quadriceps, hamstrings, fat CSA, muscle density).
  • Muscle strength (hand grip, knee extensors) and physical function (walk speed, chair stands, balance) were measured.

Related Experiment Videos

Main Results:

  • Women using ERT had greater quadriceps cross-sectional area (CSA) and muscle density (HU) compared to non-users.
  • ERT users exhibited greater grip strength, with a trend towards greater knee extensor strength.
  • Observed differences in muscle composition and strength were modest (≤3.3%), with no significant impact on physical function.

Conclusions:

  • The association between ERT and improved muscle composition and strength in older women is minor.
  • These modest changes did not translate into enhanced physical function.
  • Initiating ERT solely for the preservation of muscle composition and function is likely not indicated.