A meta-analysis of 39 RCTs in postmenopausal women found exercise training improved waist circumference, triglycerides, HDL, glucose, and blood pressure, with combined training most effective.
Reported an improvementMeta-analysis · 2,132 participants pooled · 2023PostmenopausalCited 33 timesPubMed
A review of 28 randomised trials in postmenopausal women aged 50 to 65 found walking combined with resistance training could preserve weight and bone density and increase muscle strength.
Mixed resultsSystematic review · 2,646 participants pooled · 2004Early postmenopausalCited 219 timesPubMed
A meta-analysis of three trials in postmenopausal women with type 2 diabetes found combined aerobic and resistance training improved insulin resistance but not HbA1c.
Mixed resultsMeta-analysis · 83 participants pooled · 2025PostmenopausalCited 10 timesPubMed
A meta-analysis of 23 trials in 1001 postmenopausal women found concurrent aerobic and resistance training modestly improved body composition and metabolic markers, with no significant change in inflammation markers.
Reported an improvementMeta-analysis · 1,001 participants pooled · 2026PostmenopausalCited 2 timesPubMed
A network meta-analysis of 142 trials in postmenopausal women found combined training, aerobic exercise, resistance training and mind-body exercise each improved different metabolic syndrome risk factors.
Reported an improvementMeta-analysis · 7,967 participants pooled · 2025PostmenopausalCited 1 timesPubMed
In obese postmenopausal women with type 2 diabetes, 16 weeks of aerobic training combined with resistance training improved glucose disposal more than aerobic exercise alone.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 28 women · 16 weeks · 2003PostmenopausalCited 307 timesPubMed
Overweight postmenopausal women did 6 months of resistance and aerobic exercise with or without soy isoflavones; exercise reduced fat mass and increased lean mass, with no added benefit from isoflavones.
Direction not statedRandomised trial · 100 women · 26 weeks · 2011PostmenopausalCited 65 timesPubMed
In sedentary postmenopausal women, 12 weeks of combined endurance and resistance training improved body composition, performance and insulin sensitivity, with no added benefit from DHEA supplementation.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 31 women · 12 weeks · 2008PostmenopausalCited 49 timesPubMed
Twenty nine postmenopausal breast cancer survivors did 15 weeks of combined walking and resistance training, and the exercise group showed improved fitness, blood pressure, weight, insulin, glucose and cholesterol measures.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 29 women · 15 weeks · 2012PostmenopausalCited 45 timesPubMed
In postmenopausal women at high risk of type 2 diabetes, 12 weeks of high-intensity bodyweight training and combined aerobic-resistance training both improved muscle mass, walk test performance and insulin resistance, but only combined training increased strength.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 16 women · 12 weeks · 2018PostmenopausalCited 37 timesPubMed
Healthy women aged 50 to 65 did 12 weeks of combined aerobic plus resistance training or aerobic training alone, and combined training improved growth hormone, body fat, glucose and blood pressure more.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 22 women · 12 weeks · 2010Midlife womenCited 40 timesPubMed
Postmenopausal women with type 2 diabetes did 12 weeks of combined aerobic and resistance exercise and showed reduced body fat, lower insulin resistance, and increased muscle mass.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 45 women · 12 weeks · 2020PostmenopausalCited 27 timesPubMed
Postmenopausal women did exercise plus Mediterranean diet, with or without soy isoflavones, for 24 months; the soy group showed greater drops in fat mass, glucose, insulin and inflammation markers.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 65 women · 104 weeks · 2012PostmenopausalCited 30 timesPubMed
Female cancer survivors averaging age 52 did a year of supervised aerobic plus resistance training or home-based activity, with the fitness center group showing greater treadmill time and heart rate recovery gains.
Mixed resultsRandomised trial · 154 women · 52 weeks · 2017Midlife womenCited 19 timesPubMed
In middle-aged obese women, 12 weeks of circuit exercise combining aerobic and resistance training reduced body weight, body fat and insulin resistance compared to no significant change in controls.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 26 women · 12 weeks · 2018Midlife womenCited 21 timesPubMed
Perimenopausal women did 4 months of concurrent aerobic and resistance training; the exercise group showed lower LDL cholesterol than a counseling-only group.
Direction not statedRandomised trial · 150 women · 16 weeks · 2018PerimenopausalCited 12 timesPubMed
After 6 months of combined aerobic and resistance exercise, postmenopausal women taking phytoestrogens showed greater reductions in weight, fat mass and blood pressure than those on placebo.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 21 women · 26 weeks · 2010PostmenopausalCited 17 timesPubMed
Inactive postmenopausal women did recreational team handball training for 36 weeks and researchers reported improved fitness, knee strength, lumbar spine bone density, and lipid markers.
Mixed resultsRandomised trial · 45 women · 36 weeks · 2023PostmenopausalCited 10 timesPubMed
In 62 menopausal women, 12 weeks of resistance and endurance circuit training combined with time-restricted eating reduced BMI, fat mass, glucose and insulin more than training alone.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 62 women · 12 weeks · 2024Midlife womenCited 9 timesPubMed
Midlife women aged 42 to 52 did 6 months of combined aerobic and resistance training, and researchers found improved insulin sensitivity compared to a sedentary control group.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 28 women · 26 weeks · 2014Midlife womenCited 11 timesPubMed
In older women with metabolic syndrome, 16 weeks of combined aerobic and resistance training improved fitness and strength but did not change body composition, blood pressure or lipid and glucose profiles.
No difference foundRandomised trial · 25 women · 16 weeks · 2022Midlife womenCited 8 timesPubMed
In 25 hypertensive women followed 9 years through menopause, soccer-based exercise training reduced blood pressure, body fat, cholesterol, and kept fasting glucose stable compared to non-exercising controls.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 25 women · 468 weeks · 2024Midlife womenCited 7 timesPubMed
In a one-year trial, inactive postmenopausal women doing combined aerobic and strength exercise showed no significant change in insulin sensitivity versus controls.
No difference foundRandomised trial · 181 women · 52 weeks · 2015PostmenopausalCited 5 timesPubMed
Postmenopausal women aged 45 to 59 did a 6 month strength and stamina exercise programme in water and on land, which lowered systolic blood pressure and insulin more than no exercise.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 63 women · 26 weeks · 2008PostmenopausalCited 7 timesPubMed
In 26 postmenopausal women, 8 weeks of combined exercise with ursolic acid supplementation raised handgrip strength more than exercise with placebo, but waist circumference and other outcomes did not differ.
No difference foundRandomised trial · 26 women · 8 weeks · 2021PostmenopausalCited 6 timesPubMed
Overweight women aged 35 to 50 did 10 weeks of HIIT or HIIT plus resistance training; strength improved with combined training and lipid and insulin markers improved in both groups, but fitness did not improve.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 27 women · 10 weeks · 2024Midlife womenCited 3 timesPubMed
In 85 inactive postmenopausal women with type 2 diabetes, a home-based dual-task exercise program improved executive function, physical performance and HDL, and reduced IL-10 and TNF, but did not change diabetes indices overall.
No difference foundRandomised trial · 85 women · 2025PostmenopausalCited 2 timesPubMed
24 postmenopausal women with fatty liver did 10 weeks of combined endurance resistance training, which reduced RBP4, insulin resistance, and hepatic fat levels versus controls.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 24 women · 10 weeks · 2022PostmenopausalCited 3 timesPubMed
In 60 postmenopausal women, 16 weeks of aerobic or combined aerobic plus strength training improved body composition and metabolic markers, but leg lean mass returned to pre-training levels after 6 months of detraining.
Mixed resultsControlled trial · 60 women · 16 weeks · 2017PostmenopausalCited 27 timesPubMed
Postmenopausal women with type 2 diabetes did supervised aerobic and resistance training three times weekly for 10 weeks and showed improved fitness and artery compliance, but no change in blood pressure or lipids.
No difference foundControlled trial · 28 women · 10 weeks · 2004PostmenopausalCited 29 timesPubMed
Obese middle-aged women did 12 weeks of combined resistance and aerobic training, which lowered body fat, blood pressure, glucose, triglycerides, and visfatin versus controls.
Reported an improvementControlled trial · 20 women · 12 weeks · 2011Midlife womenCited 21 timesPubMed
15 postmenopausal women with type 2 diabetes did combined aerobic and resistance exercise in different orders, and aerobic-first order showed lower blood glucose and greater blood pressure reduction.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 15 women · 2025PostmenopausalPubMed
Sedentary women aged 40 to 60 did a 26 week multicomponent exercise program; postmenopausal women showed greater blood pressure and waist reductions, premenopausal women showed greater lipid and glucose improvements.
Mixed resultsControlled trial · 38 women · 26 weeks · 2025Midlife womenCited 3 timesPubMed
Postmenopausal women who habitually did combined aerobic and resistance exercise for over a year had longer telomere length and better metabolic markers than sedentary women of similar age.
Reported an improvementCross-sectional study · 44 women · 2012PostmenopausalCited 45 timesPubMed
Nine postmenopausal women with type 2 diabetes did combined strength and aerobic training for 16 weeks and showed improved glucose control, insulin action and muscular strength.
Reported an improvementBefore-and-after study · 9 women · 16 weeks · 2004PostmenopausalCited 68 timesPubMed
48 postmenopausal women with prediabetes or normal glucose did 14 weeks of combined exercise, after which researchers found changes in DNA methylation at 118 gene regions in the prediabetes group.
Direction not statedBefore-and-after study · 48 women · 14 weeks · 2022PostmenopausalCited 24 timesPubMed
Sedentary overweight to obese postmenopausal women did 6 months of combined endurance and resistance training; gains in muscle mass index correlated with worsening insulin resistance.
Reported a worseningBefore-and-after study · 48 women · 26 weeks · 2015PostmenopausalCited 14 timesPubMed
Postmenopausal women with type 2 diabetes did combined strength and aerobic training for 9 months, then stopped for 3 months, then resumed, with glucose control and fitness improving with training and worsening during detraining.
Reported an improvementBefore-and-after study · 13 women · 39 weeks · 2014PostmenopausalCited 17 timesPubMed
A 12-week combined aerobic and resistance programme in 101 perimenopausal Chinese teachers lowered triglycerides and fasting glucose and improved muscular strength and endurance.
Reported an improvementBefore-and-after study · 101 women · 12 weeks · 2026PerimenopausalCited 1 timesPubMed