Differences in strength, leg lean mass, and lifestyle factors between premenopausal and perimenopausal women

Background Menopausal changes coupled with age-related reductions in muscle strength can impact functionality. Aim To evaluate the differences in muscle strength, dominant leg lean mass (DLMleg), relative protein intake (r_PRO) and physical activity (PA) between premenopausal (PRE) and perimenopausal (PERI) women. Methods Twenty-four PRE- (age = 39.8 +/- 3.3 years; BMI: 25.3 +/- 5.0 kg/m(2)) and 24 PERI-women (age = 50.0 +/- 3.3 years; BMI: 26.5 +/- 5.4 kg/m(2)) participated in leg extensor isometric peak force (PF), DLMleg, r_PRO and PA. Independent samples t-tests and one-way analyses of covariance covaried for age and DLMleg were used to compare groups. Results The PRE group had significantly higher PF (mean difference +/- standard error: 57.8 +/- 28.0 N; p = 0.045) and DLMleg (0.7 +/- 0.3 kg; p = 0.031) when compared to the PERI group. There were no significant differences in r_PRO, or PA between groups (p = 0.173-0.423). When covaried for age and DLMleg, there was no significant difference in PF (p = 0.982 and 0.405, respectively). Conclusions Age and DLMleg may be important contributors to menopause-phase related differences in strength.