🧬 Can hormone replacement therapy protect muscle health during aging?

As women age, especially after menopause, they experience a decline in skeletal muscle mass and strength.

This loss, often underpinned by declining oestrogen levels, can significantly impact mobility and quality of life.

Could hormone replacement therapy (HRT) help preserve muscle health?

A review of existing studies share some key findings:

• Muscle mass decline: Post-menopausal women generally show reduced muscle mass compared to their pre-menopausal counterparts.

• HRT effects: Some studies suggest that HRT may help preserve muscle size and strength. However, the results are mixed. The variability in HRT types, doses, and durations has made it challenging to draw clear conclusions.

In animal models, oestrogen deficiency leads to muscle mass loss due to greater breakdown and lower synthesis of new muscle fibres. HRT partially reverses these effects by promoting muscle repair and turnover, but human studies have not consistently replicated this (possibly due to less extreme hormonal changes in menopause compared to animal models).

🥊 Punchline

The potential of HRT to counteract post-menopausal muscle loss remains inconclusive. Factors like timing of HRT initiation, dosage, and duration could be critical in determining its effectiveness. In the meantime, resistance training and meeting protein requirements can help protect your muscles and bones.

💪 Just how much strength do I really need to age well?

Having high levels of muscle strength can afford you a high quality of life in older age.

People with high levels of muscular strength may be better able to thrive through tough times.

Referring to the picture above:

• The blue avatar has participated in evidence-based strength training and has built up a large strength reserve.

• The green avatar never participated in strength training until mid-life. And as you can see, they have pulled themselves away from the disability threshold.

• The red avatar never participated in strength training and has hit the disability threshold much earlier in life than they should have. They no longer have the levels of strength they need to remain independent.

Decreasing exercise at key times in life (e.g. when becoming a dad) may cause an accelerated decline in muscle strength. Lower levels of fitness later in life increases the risk of reaching the disability threshold when met with illness. But, someone with higher levels of fitness reserve may be able to withstand temporary illnesses.

🥊 Punchline

Muscle strength is needed to do the things you want to do, on your own, everyday. The greater strength you have, the more you can meet life's challenges without taking too much of a hit. Regular strength training sessions have the potential to add to your strength reserve. And it’s never too early or too late to get started.

🏃 Can moderate exercise keeps appetite at bay?

A lot of people understand that exercise helps 'burn energy' and assume that exercise also increases hunger and energy intake afterwards.

However, that this is not always the case.

A recent study aimed to assess food intake and appetite in males with obesity, but also measured changes in hormones which help to regulate appetite.

It revealed that moderate-intensity exercise (60 mins cycling at 60% Vo2 max) can significantly influence appetite-related hormones and perceptions in overweight males.

In well fed individuals, there is a surge in specific hormones post-exercise that help depress hunger and appetite.

Interestingly, these are the same hormones which the most successful weight loss drugs are mimicking.

This means that incorporating regular exercise into daily routines can help obese individuals manage their appetite, weight and improve their overall health; on top of the additional physical and mental health benefits of exercise.

🥊 Punchline

Even moderate-intensity exercise can have immediate and beneficial effects on appetite control in males with obesity. Despite a strong focus on weight loss drugs in society at present, lifestyle factors still have a strong and relevant role in helping people to live their healthiest life.