Does walking affect hormone levels in menopause? What 13 studies found

Postmenopausal women did a year of walking and aerobic training; the exercise group showed a greater increase in osteoprotegerin, a bone-protective marker, than controls.

Mixed resultsRandomised trial · 92 women · 52 weeks · 2012PostmenopausalCited 36 timesPubMed

Sedentary postmenopausal women did 16 weeks of low to moderate intensity treadmill walking, which lowered inflammatory cytokines and reproductive hormone levels compared with controls.

Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 28 women · 16 weeks · 2015PostmenopausalCited 34 timesPubMed

In women around age 61, calcium supplementation before and during vigorous treadmill walking attenuated the rise in parathyroid hormone seen with exercise, compared to a control beverage.

Mixed resultsRandomised trial · 23 women · 2014PostmenopausalCited 33 timesPubMed

In an RCT of 80 menopausal women, one year of Sudarshan Kriya Yoga improved vasomotor, psychosocial and physical quality of life domains more than brisk walking, with no change in reproductive hormones.

No difference foundRandomised trial · 80 women · 52 weeks · 2021Midlife womenCited 13 timesPubMed

In postmenopausal women, 12 weeks of moderate aerobic walking/jogging increased vitamin D and parathyroid hormone levels and altered ECG indices compared with controls, with some changes persisting after detraining.

Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 31 women · 12 weeks · 2020PostmenopausalCited 15 timesPubMed

A 10-week intermittent walking programme in 36 obese postmenopausal women reduced thyroid stimulating hormone, triglycerides, cholesterol and blood pressure, and improved fitness and HDL cholesterol.

Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 36 women · 10 weeks · 2026Early postmenopausalCited 8 timesPubMed

Overweight postmenopausal women did a 12 week mobile-based walking program, and researchers found no significant changes in adiponectin or leptin despite improved anthropometric measures.

No difference foundRandomised trial · 71 women · 12 weeks · 2014PostmenopausalCited 7 timesPubMed

Sedentary postmenopausal women did 13 weeks of moderate walking training; it lowered inflammatory TNF-alpha and cortisol/DHEA-S ratio and reduced cardiovascular measures regardless of ACE gene type.

Reported an improvementControlled trial · 36 women · 13 weeks · 2013PostmenopausalCited 27 timesPubMed

Postmenopausal women did a 12-week fitness walking program and showed improved triglycerides, blood pressure, blood sugar, waist circumference and HDL versus controls who worsened.

Mixed resultsRandomised trial · 30 women · 12 weeks · 2025PostmenopausalCited 1 timesPubMed

In menopausal women, 8 weeks of walking or bone joint exercise increased estrogen and bone mineral density and decreased RANKL and PTH compared to a control group.

Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 8 weeks · 2024Midlife womenCited 3 timesPubMed

Thirty-two postmenopausal women did three months of moderate walking training and researchers found increased DHEA-S and decreased TNF-alpha and cortisol to DHEA-S ratio.

Reported an improvementBefore-and-after study · 32 women · 12 weeks · 2013PostmenopausalCited 26 timesPubMed

In 51 postmenopausal women, a 13-week supervised walking program reduced the plasma cortisol to DHEA-S ratio, a marker linked to metabolic health, mainly among those with highest adherence.

Reported an improvementBefore-and-after study · 51 women · 13 weeks · 2018PostmenopausalCited 11 timesPubMed

In 39 sedentary overweight postmenopausal women, 4 months of walking training reduced fat mass and leptin levels and increased maximal oxygen consumption among adherent participants.

Reported an improvementBefore-and-after study · 39 women · 16 weeks · 2011PostmenopausalCited 11 timesPubMed