A meta-analysis of 101 trials with 5,697 postmenopausal women found aerobic training reduced fat mass and resistance training increased muscle mass, with combined training offering both benefits.
Reported an improvementMeta-analysis · 5,697 participants pooled · 2023PostmenopausalCited 28 timesPubMed
A meta-analysis of 17 trials in breast cancer survivors, including postmenopausal women, found exercise training, especially resistance training, increased lean body mass compared with usual care.
Reported an improvementMeta-analysis · 1,743 participants pooled · 2022Midlife womenCited 17 timesPubMed
A review of 52 studies in overweight middle-aged and older adults found exercise, mainly aerobic training, helped preserve fat-free mass during weight loss from calorie restriction, more than restriction alone.
Reported an improvementSystematic review · 2010PostmenopausalCited 262 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
In 75 inactive postmenopausal breast cancer survivors, 6 months of moderate aerobic exercise reduced body fat, increased lean mass, and maintained bone density compared with usual care.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 75 women · 26 weeks · 2009PostmenopausalCited 123 timesPubMed
Overweight postmenopausal women lost weight over 16 weeks via diet or mainly exercise, and exercise produced greater fat loss, preserved lean mass, and some differences in sex hormones compared to diet.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 243 women · 16 weeks · 2015PostmenopausalCited 66 timesPubMed
Overweight postmenopausal women did 12 months of diet, aerobic exercise, or both, and aerobic exercise preserved lean mass while diet alone reduced it.
Mixed resultsRandomised trial · 439 women · 52 weeks · 2013PostmenopausalCited 38 timesPubMed
Overweight postmenopausal women did a 12 month weight loss program with aerobic exercise plus vitamin D3 or placebo, and vitamin D did not improve lean mass or bone density but leg strength decreased more.
No difference foundRandomised trial · 218 women · 52 weeks · 2016PostmenopausalCited 38 timesPubMed
In overweight postmenopausal women, 12 weeks of HIIT or HIIT plus resistance training reduced abdominal and visceral fat more than moderate-intensity continuous training.
Mixed resultsRandomised trial · 27 women · 12 weeks · 2020PostmenopausalCited 47 timesPubMed
Previously sedentary women aged 40 to 66 exercised three days a week for a year, and DXA detected a small increase in fat-free mass not found by other measurement methods.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 76 women · 52 weeks · 2000Midlife womenCited 33 timesPubMed
Postmenopausal women aged 50 to 70 in a 20 week diet and aerobic exercise weight loss trial lost less lean mass when they ate more protein during caloric restriction.
Mixed resultsRandomised trial · 20 weeks · 2008PostmenopausalCited 63 timesPubMed
Over 12 weeks, obese postmenopausal women doing endurance or concurrent aerobic and resistance training reduced fat mass, with concurrent training also increasing lean mass and differing effects on sex hormones like testosterone.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 35 women · 12 weeks · 2020PostmenopausalCited 22 timesPubMed
In a 12 month trial, 170 sedentary overweight postmenopausal women doing moderate aerobic exercise showed no significant change in bone density or lean mass versus stretching controls.
No difference foundRandomised trial · 170 women · 52 weeks · 2006PostmenopausalCited 21 timesPubMed
A review of 6 RCTs found strength training and walking improved bone density and lean mass in early postmenopausal women, but no exercise type improved these outcomes during perimenopause.
Mixed resultsSystematic review · 2025PerimenopausalCited 2 timesPubMed
Late premenopausal and early postmenopausal women did 3 months of high-intensity aerobic training, which reduced weight, blood pressure, cholesterol and improved insulin response similarly in both groups.
Reported an improvementControlled trial · 79 women · 12 weeks · 2017Midlife womenCited 64 timesPubMed
Overweight postmenopausal women who lost weight with or without aerobic exercise over 6 months and were followed for a year showed similar bone density loss in both groups.
Reported a worseningRandomised trial · 52 weeks · 2021PostmenopausalCited 13 timesPubMed
Obese middle-aged women who did combined aerobic and resistance training lost more abdominal subcutaneous and visceral fat and gained more lean mass than those doing aerobic training alone.
Reported an improvementControlled trial · 30 women · 2003Midlife womenCited 73 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
Seven middle-aged women did 12 weeks of cycle training, which increased muscle fiber size and altered satellite cell responses to a subsequent bout of resistance exercise.
Reported an improvementBefore-and-after study · 7 women · 12 weeks · 2016Midlife womenCited 25 timesPubMed
A review found that combining resistance and endurance exercise, especially resistance training, with higher protein intake helped preserve muscle mass during weight loss in postmenopausal and other at-risk groups.
Mixed resultsOther · 2021Midlife womenCited 115 timesPubMed
This review discusses how estrogen decline during menopause contributes to muscle loss and describes aerobic and resistance exercise training as important for addressing sarcopenia.
Direction not statedOther · 2022PostmenopausalCited 28 timesPubMed
Six active postmenopausal women completed a 5-day wild trek and showed increased fat-free mass, skeletal muscle mass, peak VO2, and decreased fat mass afterward.
Reported an improvementBefore-and-after study · 6 women · 1 weeks · 2024PostmenopausalPubMed
A review reported that calcium supplementation plus aerobic training increased femoral neck cortical bone density in postmenopausal women, while exercise also increased trabecular bone in the spine.
Mixed resultsOther · 1998Midlife womenCited 25 timesPubMed