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Updated: Oct 1, 2025
A Method to Study the Impact of Chemically-induced Ovarian Failure on Exercise Capacity and Cardiac Adaptation in Mice
Published on: April 7, 2014
Metabolic effects of menopause: a cross-sectional characterization of body composition and exercise metabolism
Lacey M Gould1, Amanda N Gordon1, Hannah E Cabre1,2,3,4
1Applied Physiology Laboratory, Department of Exercise and Sport Science, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC.
Objectives:
To evaluate body composition, fat distribution, and metabolism at rest and during exercise in premenopausal, perimenopausal, and postmenopausal women.
Methods:
This cross-sectional study in 72 women ages 35 to 60 years evaluated body composition via a fourcompartment model, fat distribution using dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry-derived android to gynoid ratio, metabolic measures via indirect calorimetry, and lifestyle factors using surveys. One-way analyses of variance and one-way analyses of covariance covaried for age and hormone levels (estrogen and progesterone) were used to compare groups.
Results:
Body fat percent was significantly lower in premenopausal than perimenopausal women (mean difference ± standard error: - 10.29 ± 2.73%, P = 0.026) despite similarities in fat mass and fat-free mass between groups (P≥0.217). Android to gynoid ratio was significantly lower in premenopausal than perimenopausal women (MD ± SE: -0.16 ± 0.05 a.u., P = 0.031). Resting energy expenditure was similar between groups (P = 0.999). Fat oxidation during moderate intensity cycle ergometer exercise was significantly greater in premenopausal than postmenopausal women (MD ± SE: 0.09 ± 0.03 g/min, P = 0.045). The change in respiratory exchange ratio between rest and moderate intensity exercise was significantly lower in premenopausal women than peri- (MD ± SE: -0.05 ± 0.03 a.u., P = 0.035) and postmenopausal women (MD ± SE: -0.06 ± 0.03 a.u., P = 0.040). Premenopausal women reported significantly fewer menopause symptoms than peri- (MD ± SE: -6.58 ± 1.52 symptoms, P = 0.002) and postmenopausal participants (MD ± SE: -4.63 ± 1.52 symptoms, P = 0.044), while similarities between groups were observed for lifestyle factors including diet and physical activity (P>0.999).
Conclusions:
Perimenopause may be the most opportune window for lifestyle intervention, as this group experienced the onset of unfavorable body composition and metabolic characteristics.
Video Summary:
http://links.lww.com/MENO/A932.
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