In this episode, we’ll examine research on muscle changes during menopause. How much muscle mass is lost? Does it affect all individuals the same way? And most importantly, what interventions—such as exercise, protein, vitamin D, and creatine—are actually effective? Let’s break down the science and highlight key takeaways for dietitians and healthcare professionals.
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* Correction: Most experts agree that 1-1.2 g protein/kg body weight is what most women will benefit from in perimenopause and some may benefit from higher levels of up to 1.6-2 g protein/kg body weigh.
**Not intended as medical advice
References:
Greendale, G. A., Sternfeld, B., Huang, M.-H., Han, W., Karvonen-Gutierrez, C., Ruppert, K., Cauley, J. A., Finkelstein, J. S., Jiang, S.-F., & Karlamangla, A. S. (2019). Changes in body composition and weight during the menopause transition. JCI Insight, 4(5), e124865. https://doi.org/10.1172/jci.insight.124865​
Silva, T. R., Lago, S. C., Yavorivski, A., Ferreira, L. L., Fighera, T. M., & Spritzer, P. M. (2020). Effects of high protein, low-glycemic index diet on lean body mass, strength, and physical performance in late postmenopausal women: A randomized controlled trial. Menopause: The Journal of The North American Menopause Society, 28(3), 307–317. https://doi.org/10.1097/GME.0000000000001692​
Thornton, M., Sim, M., Kennedy, M. A., Blodgett, K., Joseph, R., & Pojednic, R. (2024). Nutrition interventions on muscle-related components of sarcopenia in females: A systematic review of randomized controlled trials. Calcified Tissue International, 114, 38–52. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00223-023-01157-1​
Lemieux, F. C., Filion, M.-E., Barbat-Artigas, S., Karelis, A. D., & Aubertin-Leheudre, M. (2014). Relationship between different protein intake recommendations with muscle mass and muscle strength. Climacteric, 17(3), 294–300. https://doi.org/10.3109/13697137.2013.829440​
Silva, T. R., & Spritzer, P. M. (2016). Skeletal muscle mass is associated with higher dietary protein intake and lower body fat in postmenopausal women: A cross-sectional study. Menopause: The Journal of The North American Menopause Society, 24(5), 502–509. https://doi.org/10.1097/GME.0000000000000793​
Erdélyi, A., Pálfi, E., Tűű, L., Nas, K., Szűcs, Z., Török, M., Jakab, A., & Várbíró, S. (2024). The importance of nutrition in menopause and perimenopause—A review. Nutrients, 16(27). https://doi.org/10.3390/nu16010027​
Nahas, P. C., Rossato, L. T., Martins, F. M., Souza, A. P., Branco, F. M. S., Carneiro, M. A. S., Teixeira, K. R. C., Orsatti, F. L., & de Oliveira, E. P. (2019). Moderate increase in protein intake promotes a small additional improvement in functional capacity, but not in muscle strength and lean mass quality, in postmenopausal women following resistance exercise: A randomized clinical trial. Nutrients, 11(6), 1323. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu11061323​
Seimon, R. V., Wild-Taylor, A. L., Keating, S. E., McClintock, S., Harper, C., Gibson, A. A., Johnson, N. A., Fernando, H. A., Markovic, T. P., Center, J. R., Franklin, J., Liu, P. Y., Grieve, S. M., Lagopoulos, J., Caterson, I. D., Byrne, N. M., & Sainsbury, A. (2019). Effect of weight loss via severe vs moderate energy restriction on lean mass and body composition among postmenopausal women with obesity: The TEMPO Diet randomized clinical trial. JAMA Network Open, 2(10), e1913733. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2019.13733​
Tan, T.-W., Tan, H.-L., Hsu, M.-F., Huang, H.-L., & Chung, Y.-C. (2023). Effect of non-pharmacological interventions on the prevention of sarcopenia in menopausal women: A systematic review and meta-analysis of ra
