A review of seven observational studies involving 8,922 postmenopausal women found that greater protein intake was associated with stronger handgrip strength, though researchers did not establish that protein directly caused the difference or identify an ideal daily amount.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
Postmenopausal women who consume more protein may be more likely to maintain greater muscle strength as they age, according to a review that combined data from seven studies involving 8,922 women.
The analysis found that women reporting higher protein intake generally had stronger handgrip strength than women consuming less protein. The research identified an association rather than a cause-and-effect relationship because the underlying studies observed participants’ existing diets instead of assigning them specific amounts of protein.
Handgrip strength is widely used as an indicator of overall muscular strength and physical function. It provides researchers with a simple, noninvasive way to assess strength and has also been associated with broader health outcomes, according to a NaturalNews.com article by Petra Stone.
The review was undertaken in part because a substantial amount of research examining dietary protein and muscle health has historically focused on men, leaving less information available specifically about women following menopause.
Review Used Existing Diet and Strength Data
Researchers searched major scientific databases for studies that measured both protein intake and handgrip strength in postmenopausal women.
Because participants continued their normal eating patterns rather than receiving prescribed diets, the researchers could determine whether protein intake and strength tended to occur together but could not demonstrate that consuming additional protein was responsible for greater strength.
The studies also differed in how they defined relatively high and low protein intake. As a result, the review did not produce a specific amount of protein that postmenopausal women should consume to obtain the strength association observed in the analysis.
Protein provides amino acids required for building, maintaining and repairing muscle tissue. Maintaining muscle is important for physical function with age and can affect mobility, independence and recovery from illness or injury.
Stronger Grip Accompanied Higher Protein Intake
Across the studies, women consuming larger amounts of protein generally demonstrated greater handgrip strength.
Women in the higher-protein groups also tended to have lower body mass index measurements. Differences in age did not appear to account for the strength association, and the relationship remained present across multiple statistical analyses included in the review.
Researchers nevertheless could not rule out other explanations. Women who consumed more protein might also have exercised more frequently, followed higher-quality diets or engaged in other health-related behaviors capable of influencing muscle strength.
The consistency of the findings nevertheless suggests protein intake may be one component of maintaining strength after menopause.
Other research has examined protein in connection with skeletal health as well. A study published in the Journal of Bone and Mineral Research evaluated high protein and calcium intake in relation to hip-fracture risk among participants in the Framingham Offspring Cohort.
Menopause Changes the Challenge of Preserving Muscle
Declining estrogen levels associated with menopause can make preserving muscle mass and strength increasingly difficult.
Protein supplies materials required for muscle repair and maintenance, while resistance exercise creates the physical stimulus that encourages muscle tissue to remain strong and adapt.
For that reason, the review does not suggest treating higher protein consumption as a substitute for physical activity.
Resistance exercise can include bodyweight movements, resistance bands and free weights and does not necessarily require access to a gym.
Research concerning sarcopenia — the progressive age-related loss of muscle mass and function — has similarly identified nutrition and protein intake as important factors affecting the condition, according to Advances in Food and Nutrition Research.
The Textbook of Natural Medicine also describes resistance exercise as capable of increasing muscle mass and strength in older adults, with some nutritional interventions potentially enhancing those adaptations.
A separate NaturalNews.com report by Willow Tohi examined research suggesting resistance training may also help slow age-related cognitive decline through effects involving muscle-derived myokines and metabolic health. That report cited both adequate protein consumption and varied resistance exercise as components of the approach.
Review Did Not Establish an Ideal Protein Amount
Despite the association between greater protein consumption and stronger handgrip strength, the review did not determine a single recommended protein target.
Differences among the studies make it inappropriate to derive a precise intake level from the findings alone.
Instead, the report suggested making protein a regular part of meals throughout the day rather than concentrating intake into a single meal. Foods such as eggs and Greek yogurt can provide protein at breakfast, while beans, poultry, fish, tofu and other protein-rich foods can contribute at lunch and dinner.
Consuming progressively larger quantities is not necessarily beneficial once a person’s nutritional needs are already being met.
Separate research involving 40 postmenopausal women who were overweight found that consuming 35 grams of whey protein during a meal was sufficient to maximize muscle protein synthesis during a short-term calorie-restricted diet, according to another NaturalNews.com report.
That finding involved a different study population and research design and does not establish 35 grams as a universal protein requirement for postmenopausal women.
Protein and Exercise Work Together in Muscle Maintenance
Taken together, the review’s findings suggest that protein intake can be considered alongside resistance training and overall nutrition when addressing muscle health after menopause.
Among the nearly 9,000 women represented in the analysis, those consuming more protein tended to demonstrate stronger grip strength. The researchers could not determine whether increasing protein alone would produce the same result in an individual woman.
The evidence also does not establish a single optimal intake applicable to everyone.
Muscle preservation becomes increasingly important with age because adequate muscle mass can influence physical resilience and the ability to recover during illness or hospitalization. A Mercola.com article similarly described maintaining muscle in older adulthood as an important part of preserving health and recovery capacity.
The review therefore adds to evidence connecting nutrition with strength after menopause while leaving unanswered how much protein is ideal and how strongly protein itself, rather than accompanying lifestyle factors, accounts for the observed difference.
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