A meta-analysis of 129 trials in postmenopausal women found aerobic, resistance and combined training increased cardiorespiratory fitness and lower-body strength, while only resistance training increased upper-body strength.
Reported an improvementMeta-analysis · 7,141 participants pooled · 2023PostmenopausalCited 23 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.
Reported an improvementSystematic review · 2,646 participants pooled · 2004Early postmenopausalCited 219 timesPubMed
A meta-analysis of 19 trials in postmenopausal women found adding exercise to medicine or supplements improved lumbar spine bone density, leg muscle strength, balance, and quality of life.
Reported an improvementMeta-analysis · 1,249 participants pooled · 2024PostmenopausalCited 13 timesPubMed
A meta-analysis of 27 RCTs in women aged 40 to 60 found exercise improved lean body mass and grip and knee strength, with resistance training three times weekly for at least six weeks most effective.
Reported an improvementMeta-analysis · 1,989 participants pooled · 2023Midlife womenCited 10 timesPubMed
A meta-analysis found whey protein combined with resistance training improved biceps strength and lower limb lean mass in postmenopausal women, but had no benefit without resistance training.
Reported an improvementMeta-analysis · 2022PostmenopausalCited 18 timesPubMed
A review of eight randomised trials in climacteric women found aerobic exercise improved menopause symptoms and quality of life, while resistance training strengthened muscles and increased bone density.
Reported an improvementMeta-analysis · 2025Midlife womenCited 11 timesPubMed
A meta-analysis of 16 studies found circuit resistance training improved strength, cardiorespiratory fitness, and body composition in middle-aged and older women compared with controls.
Reported an improvementMeta-analysis · 2022Midlife womenCited 11 timesPubMed
A meta-analysis of seven trials, median 38 weeks, found creatine supplementation, especially with resistance training, modestly increased lean mass and leg-press strength in postmenopausal women without changing bone density.
Reported an improvementMeta-analysis · 608 participants pooled · 2026PostmenopausalCited 2 timesPubMed
A meta-analysis of 126 studies in 4019 women found resistance training improved strength and reduced fat mass similarly in premenopausal and postmenopausal women, with no significant subgroup difference.
Reported an improvementMeta-analysis · 4,019 participants pooled · 2026Midlife womenCited 1 timesPubMed
A meta-analysis of 12 RCTs found resistance training significantly improved maximal oxygen uptake and upper and lower body strength in healthy postmenopausal women, with less clear effects on bone density.
Reported an improvementMeta-analysis · 2024PostmenopausalCited 9 timesPubMed
A meta-analysis of 17 RCTs in postmenopausal women with sarcopenia found exercise interventions improved muscle mass, strength and physical function such as gait speed.
Reported an improvementMeta-analysis · 744 participants pooled · 2026PostmenopausalCited 1 timesPubMed
A meta-analysis of 11 trials in women aged 60 and over with sarcopenic obesity found exercise reduced body fat percentage and improved muscle mass and handgrip strength, with no change in gait speed.
Reported an improvementMeta-analysis · 532 participants pooled · 2025PostmenopausalCited 1 timesPubMed
A meta-analysis of 10 trials found chair-based exercise improved muscle endurance, flexibility and dynamic balance in postmenopausal women, but not handgrip strength or static balance.
Mixed resultsMeta-analysis · 509 participants pooled · 2025PostmenopausalCited 1 timesPubMed
Postmenopausal women did 24 weeks of whole body vibration or resistance training; vibration increased hip bone density and muscle strength, while resistance training and controls showed no bone density change.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 70 women · 24 weeks · 2004PostmenopausalCited 445 timesPubMed
A review of 7 studies in adults over 50, including postmenopausal women, found combined tai chi and resistance training improved muscle strength, aerobic endurance, balance, and mobility after long term training.
Reported an improvementSystematic review · 703 participants pooled · 2020Midlife womenCited 17 timesPubMed
A review of 38 studies in women aged 45 to 80 found resistance training sessions over about 15 weeks improved muscle mass, strength, and functional fitness.
Reported an improvementSystematic review · 2,519 participants pooled · 15 weeks · 2021Midlife womenCited 12 timesPubMed
Postmenopausal women with low bone mass did 8 months of twice weekly high intensity resistance and impact training, which improved spine and hip bone density and functional performance versus a low intensity home program.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 101 women · 32 weeks · 2018PostmenopausalCited 260 timesPubMed
Sedentary postmenopausal women did high-intensity strength training twice weekly for one year and showed increased hip and spine bone density, muscle mass, strength and balance compared with controls who declined.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 39 women · 52 weeks · 1994PostmenopausalCited 546 timesPubMed
A meta-analysis of 14 trials with 763 women across reproductive stages found protein, amino acid or creatine supplementation added to exercise did not improve muscle mass or bone density but improved bench press and handgrip strength.
Reported an improvementMeta-analysis · 763 participants pooled · 2026Midlife womenPubMed
Postmenopausal women trained with whole-body vibration or resistance training 3 times weekly for 24 weeks; both groups showed similar increases in knee-extension strength and jump performance versus controls.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 89 women · 24 weeks · 2004PostmenopausalCited 222 timesPubMed
Fifty six postmenopausal women did a 1 year resistance training program, and authors found strength-type training increased bone density at hip and forearm sites more than endurance-type training.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 56 women · 52 weeks · 1996Early postmenopausalCited 248 timesPubMed
Postmenopausal breast cancer survivors did a 1 year resistance plus impact program versus stretching; the resistance group showed significantly greater gains in leg and bench press strength.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 106 women · 52 weeks · 2012PostmenopausalCited 142 timesPubMed
Postmenopausal women did back-strengthening exercise for 2 years; 10 years later the exercise group had stronger back muscles, higher bone density, and fewer vertebral fractures than controls.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 50 women · 104 weeks · 2002PostmenopausalCited 206 timesPubMed
A systematic review of 12 RCTs found strength exercises in menopausal women reported improvements in leg and pelvic floor strength, bone density, metabolic and hormonal markers, blood pressure, and hot flashes.
Reported an improvementSystematic review · 2023Midlife womenCited 24 timesPubMed
Sedentary postmenopausal women and frail nursing home residents did high intensity strength training, and researchers found significant gains in strength and functional status.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 100 women · 1997PostmenopausalCited 161 timesPubMed
In 100 frail nursing home residents, a high intensity strength training program increased strength and spontaneous activity compared with sedentary controls, who showed no change.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 100 women · 1999PostmenopausalCited 136 timesPubMed
Women with breast cancer on chemotherapy did 6 months of aerobic or resistance exercise; aerobic exercise better preserved bone density and both improved fitness and strength versus usual care.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 66 women · 26 weeks · 2007Midlife womenCited 117 timesPubMed
A review found exercise in peri and postmenopausal women modestly increases or preserves bone density and improves muscle strength and balance, but direct proof it reduces fractures is lacking.
Reported an improvementSystematic review · 2004Midlife womenCited 25 timesPubMed
Sedentary middle-aged women did 10 weeks of resistance training using elastic bands or weight machines, both of which reduced fat mass and increased fat-free mass and function.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 45 women · 10 weeks · 2008Midlife womenCited 103 timesPubMed
Postmenopausal women with osteoporosis did 4 months of home-based low-intensity back-strengthening exercise, which improved quality of life and back extensor strength more than control.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 80 women · 16 weeks · 2007PostmenopausalCited 91 timesPubMed
Twenty three obese postmenopausal women did 12 weeks of resistance training and researchers found increased strength and reduced C-reactive protein, leptin and TNF-alpha, with no change in body composition.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 23 women · 12 weeks · 2012PostmenopausalCited 103 timesPubMed
Postmenopausal women aged 50 to 57 did a year of high-impact lower-limb training with or without hormone therapy, with jump height and running speed improving in hormone and combined groups.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 51 women · 52 weeks · 2005Early postmenopausalCited 99 timesPubMed
25 early postmenopausal women did high-load or high-repetition resistance training for 6 months, both groups gained similar muscle strength and size but neither improved spine or hip bone density.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 25 women · 26 weeks · 2000Early postmenopausalCited 121 timesPubMed
Obese postmenopausal women did 12 weeks of low-intensity resistance training with or without diet, and researchers found resistance training combined with diet improved arterial stiffness and muscle strength while preserving lean mass.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 41 women · 12 weeks · 2013PostmenopausalCited 79 timesPubMed
Postmenopausal women did low or high volume resistance training three times weekly for 16 weeks, and both groups gained strength while high volume training reduced waist size, cholesterol and inflammation more.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 32 women · 16 weeks · 2016PostmenopausalCited 70 timesPubMed
Early postmenopausal women did 24 weeks of moderate or high intensity resistance training; high intensity training increased hip bone density and both groups gained muscle strength and mass, but spine bone density did not improve.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 26 women · 24 weeks · 2000Early postmenopausalCited 104 timesPubMed
Women aged 32 to 59 did 12 weeks of moderate resistance training or aerobic training; resistance training did not increase arterial stiffness, while aerobic training reduced it, and neither changed blood pressure.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 35 women · 12 weeks · 2009Midlife womenCited 79 timesPubMed
Postmenopausal women did 8 months of resistance training with or without whole-body vibration, with vibration adding extra strength gains but neither improving bone density or bone markers.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 55 women · 35 weeks · 2010PostmenopausalCited 70 timesPubMed
Postmenopausal women with osteoporosis or osteopenia did 12 weeks of squat based maximal strength training and researchers found increased strength and increased bone mineral content at the spine and hip.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 16 women · 12 weeks · 2013PostmenopausalCited 83 timesPubMed
Postmenopausal women with vertebral fractures did six months of group exercise and coping classes, improving trunk strength and psychological symptoms versus health education controls, with no change in pain.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 185 women · 26 weeks · 2004PostmenopausalCited 63 timesPubMed
In 43 sedentary postmenopausal Brazilian women, 16 weeks of resistance training increased muscle mass and strength, linked to a rise in IGF-1 compared to controls.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 43 women · 16 weeks · 2008PostmenopausalCited 76 timesPubMed
Postmenopausal women with osteoporotic spinal fractures did 10 weeks of balance and strength physiotherapy training, reporting less pain, improved quality of life, and improved muscle strength.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 53 women · 10 weeks · 1998PostmenopausalCited 91 timesPubMed
Postmenopausal women aged 49 to 55 took hormone therapy or placebo, each with or without exercise, and researchers found exercise improved bone density mainly in the placebo group, with no added effect when combined with estrogen.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 78 women · 104 weeks · 1997PostmenopausalCited 83 timesPubMed
Sedentary postmenopausal women did 24 weeks of aquatic resistance exercise or elastic band training, both reducing body fat and blood pressure and improving strength and fitness tests similarly.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 46 women · 24 weeks · 2009PostmenopausalCited 69 timesPubMed
Postmenopausal women aged 40 to 66 did a 1 year supervised resistance training program and gained lean mass and strength, with fat loss seen mainly in those also on hormone therapy.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 233 women · 52 weeks · 2003PostmenopausalCited 55 timesPubMed
Postmenopausal women doing resistance training for 12 months with creatine supplementation showed less femoral neck bone loss and greater strength gains than resistance training with placebo.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 33 women · 52 weeks · 2015PostmenopausalCited 61 timesPubMed
Fifteen sedentary postmenopausal women did 8 weeks of low intensity resistance training, which significantly increased muscle strength but did not change blood lipid profiles or body composition.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 15 women · 8 weeks · 2002PostmenopausalCited 95 timesPubMed
Postmenopausal breast cancer survivors with bone loss did 24 months of strength training and reported significantly improved muscle strength and balance versus non-exercisers, with no significant difference in falls.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 110 women · 104 weeks · 2009PostmenopausalCited 54 timesPubMed
Postmenopausal women with low bone mass did 8 months of high-intensity resistance and impact training or low-intensity Pilates-based training; the high-intensity program increased spine bone density and muscle strength more.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 115 women · 35 weeks · 2021PostmenopausalCited 38 timesPubMed
Postmenopausal women did 8 weeks of elastic band resistance training, with or without blood flow restriction, and both groups similarly increased strength and lean body mass.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 14 women · 8 weeks · 2013PostmenopausalCited 67 timesPubMed
Postmenopausal women with osteoporosis did 18 weeks of progressive quadriceps strength and proprioception training and had fewer falls, better balance and quality of life than controls.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 85 women · 18 weeks · 2010PostmenopausalCited 50 timesPubMed
Postmenopausal women aged 50 to 75 did 9 months of weighted vest exercise and showed improved balance, leg strength and power versus controls, but no change in femoral neck bone mass.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 44 women · 39 weeks · 1998PostmenopausalCited 75 timesPubMed
Healthy postmenopausal women did 16 weeks of resistance training three times weekly; it lowered metabolic syndrome risk score, fasting glucose, and body fat, and increased strength and lean mass.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 20 women · 16 weeks · 2013PostmenopausalCited 59 timesPubMed
Postmenopausal women with bone loss did 24 weeks of strength or circuit training; both groups gained muscle strength and fitness but bone density did not change.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 28 women · 24 weeks · 2008PostmenopausalCited 61 timesPubMed
Early postmenopausal women with osteopenia doing high-intensity weight-bearing resistance training three times weekly for about 13 months improved spine bone density, lean mass, body fat, strength and menopausal symptoms versus low-intensity controls.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 54 women · 56 weeks · 2021Early postmenopausalCited 38 timesPubMed
Postmenopausal women with osteopenia did 52 weeks of hip-targeted strength, balance and jumping exercise with calcium, and showed a small hip bone density benefit plus better quality of life versus controls.
Direction not statedRandomised trial · 39 women · 52 weeks · 2012PostmenopausalCited 49 timesPubMed
In 33 postmenopausal women over 12 weeks, both low-intensity resistance training and whole-body vibration improved blood vessel function and leg strength, while resistance training also improved gait speed.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 33 women · 12 weeks · 2019PostmenopausalCited 42 timesPubMed
In early postmenopausal women doing 12 weeks of resistance training, those also given transdermal estrogen gained more muscle mass and fat-free mass than those on placebo.
Mixed resultsRandomised trial · 31 women · 12 weeks · 2020Early postmenopausalCited 41 timesPubMed
Older postmenopausal cancer survivors did tai ji quan, strength training, or stretching twice weekly for 6 months and researchers found no difference in fall incidence between groups.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 462 women · 26 weeks · 2023PostmenopausalCited 21 timesPubMed
Over 2 years, postmenopausal women doing resistance training and walking with creatine supplementation showed no extra bone density benefit over placebo, but some bone geometry and lean mass measures improved.
No difference foundRandomised trial · 237 women · 104 weeks · 2023PostmenopausalCited 24 timesPubMed
Postmenopausal women with osteoporosis did 6 months of balance and strength exercise and showed improved static and dynamic balance and upper and lower limb strength compared with controls.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 65 women · 26 weeks · 2017PostmenopausalCited 35 timesPubMed
In 39 postmenopausal women, 12 months of twice-weekly progressive resistance training increased one-repetition-maximum strength in leg press, leg extension and lat pull-down versus controls.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 39 women · 52 weeks · 1995PostmenopausalCited 65 timesPubMed
Obese women averaging 56 years old did 6 months of resistance training three times versus once weekly, and the higher-frequency group showed greater gains in handgrip strength and phase angle.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 42 women · 24 weeks · 2020Midlife womenCited 35 timesPubMed
Patients with knee osteoarthritis, including postmenopausal women, did 6 weeks of isokinetic or aerobic exercise and reported less pain and more muscle strength, with no significant drop in inflammatory markers.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 42 women · 6 weeks · 2015Midlife womenCited 39 timesPubMed
Postmenopausal women did 26 weeks of unilateral or bilateral strength training, with the unilateral group gaining more lower-body lean tissue mass than non-training controls.
Direction not statedRandomised trial · 50 women · 26 weeks · 2006PostmenopausalCited 46 timesPubMed
Obese postmenopausal women walked and strength trained with diet and GH or IGF-I injections for 12 weeks; all groups lost fat and gained muscle strength without losing lean mass.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 28 women · 12 weeks · 1998PostmenopausalCited 60 timesPubMed
Postmenopausal women with osteoporosis did a 12 week program combining resistance, balance and aerobic exercise; the exercise group improved functional measures like Timed Up and Go and fall-efficacy more than controls.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 96 women · 12 weeks · 2021PostmenopausalCited 26 timesPubMed
Postmenopausal women did strength training three times weekly for 12 months, with or without etidronate, and gained muscle strength and lean mass and lost fat, but exercise did not add to bone density gains from the drug.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 48 women · 52 weeks · 2002PostmenopausalCited 46 timesPubMed
In early postmenopausal women doing 24 weeks of strength training, those given a protein and calcium supplement after sessions gained more muscle mass, strength and femoral neck bone density than placebo.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 24 weeks · 2008Early postmenopausalCited 87 timesPubMed
Elderly postmenopausal women did 12 weeks of supervised resistance training versus stretching; the resistance group gained muscular strength and reduced systolic blood pressure by 5 mmHg.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 29 women · 12 weeks · 2013PostmenopausalCited 38 timesPubMed
Over 14 weeks, postmenopausal women doing circuit resistance training with energy-restricted diets and calcium or vitamin D supplements showed improved strength, aerobic capacity and varying body composition changes by diet and supplement combination.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 128 women · 14 weeks · 2020PostmenopausalCited 22 timesPubMed
Sedentary postmenopausal women did foot stamping, squats and line dancing; the program maintained hip bone density and improved leg strength and balance.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 45 women · 2007PostmenopausalCited 36 timesPubMed
Middle-aged and elderly women did 6 months of heavy resistance training and showed large gains in leg strength, up to 66%, with smaller increases in quadriceps muscle size.
Reported an improvementControlled trial · 42 women · 26 weeks · 1998Midlife womenCited 430 timesPubMed
In 26 postmenopausal women with osteoporosis or osteopenia, 12 weeks of low-intensity resistance training with blood flow restriction improved strength, a bone formation marker and balance, similar to higher-intensity training.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 26 women · 12 weeks · 2021PostmenopausalCited 26 timesPubMed
In 60 postmenopausal women with vertebral fractures, 6 weeks of supervised back-strengthening exercise improved spinal pain, muscle strength, mobility and quality of life more than a home program or control.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 60 women · 6 weeks · 2019PostmenopausalCited 23 timesPubMed
Postmenopausal women did 9 months of resistance training or stretching with ibuprofen or placebo; exercise did not change bone density but increased strength and reduced body fat versus stretching.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 90 women · 36 weeks · 2016PostmenopausalCited 22 timesPubMed
Postmenopausal women not using hormone therapy did strength training three times a week for 24 weeks and showed less bone loss at the spine and femoral neck than untrained women.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 24 weeks · 2009PostmenopausalCited 65 timesPubMed
A systematic review of 34 studies in postmenopausal women found strength training improved body composition, muscle strength and bone density, while added protein gave no extra strength benefit.
Reported an improvementSystematic review · 1,541 participants pooled · 2026PostmenopausalPubMed
In postmenopausal women on osteoporosis medication, 13 months of resistance training three times weekly improved bone density, leg strength and quality of life more than training twice weekly or no training.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 52 women · 56 weeks · 2016PostmenopausalCited 24 timesPubMed
In 32 postmenopausal women, 16 weeks of resistance training with soy protein added to milk increased muscle strength more than resistance training with milk alone, while muscle mass gains were similar.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 32 women · 16 weeks · 2018PostmenopausalCited 25 timesPubMed
Active women aged 56 to 75 did 6 months of low-load high-repetition resistance training (BodyPump), which reduced lumbar spine bone loss and increased strength compared to controls.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 50 women · 26 weeks · 2015PostmenopausalCited 24 timesPubMed
Trained postmenopausal women doing 12 weeks of multiple-set resistance training gained 3.5 to 5.5 percent in strength measures, while single-set training showed small strength decreases.
Mixed resultsRandomised trial · 71 women · 17 weeks · 2004Early postmenopausalCited 29 timesPubMed
Postmenopausal women with impaired glucose tolerance did 12 weeks of eccentric knee resistance training, gaining leg lean mass, strength and walk distance, with insulin sensitivity unchanged.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 16 women · 12 weeks · 2009PostmenopausalCited 34 timesPubMed
Postmenopausal and elderly women did 12 weeks of traditional or cluster-set resistance training; both methods similarly improved strength, power and functional performance.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 66 women · 12 weeks · 2020PostmenopausalCited 19 timesPubMed
Breast cancer patients did 16 weeks of resistance plus HIIT or aerobic plus HIIT during chemotherapy; at 5 years fatigue did not differ from usual care, but gluteal pain sensitivity was reduced with resistance HIIT.
Mixed resultsRandomised trial · 240 women · 16 weeks · 2024Midlife womenCited 13 timesPubMed
In postmenopausal women with metabolic syndrome, 8 weeks of resistance training or HIIT reduced weight, blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar, with HIIT improving metabolic markers more and resistance training improving muscle mass and strength more.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 45 women · 8 weeks · 2023PostmenopausalCited 19 timesPubMed
Postmenopausal women did 6 weeks of twice-weekly hypertrophic resistance training and showed improved resting heart rate, blood pressure, blood glucose, body fat, and muscle strength versus controls.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 37 women · 6 weeks · 2016PostmenopausalCited 23 timesPubMed
Over 9 months, postmenopausal women doing resistance training gained muscle mass and strength and limited fat gain, while soy isoflavone supplementation alone did not change body composition.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 71 women · 39 weeks · 2010PostmenopausalCited 23 timesPubMed
In 244 women aged 45 to 65 doing a 4-month resistance exercise program, adding a fortified milk drink gave extra gains in lean mass, bone content and balance but not in muscle strength versus exercise with placebo.
No difference foundRandomised trial · 216 women · 16 weeks · 2020Midlife womenCited 14 timesPubMed
Twenty-two postmenopausal women did 12 weeks of progressive resistance training, and researchers found increased strength, reduced waist circumference, cholesterol and blood glucose, with no change in blood pressure.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 22 women · 12 weeks · 2015PostmenopausalCited 25 timesPubMed
Postmenopausal women with knee osteoarthritis did 12 weeks of resistance training with creatine or placebo; creatine group showed greater gains in physical function, lean mass and quality of life.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 12 weeks · 2011PostmenopausalCited 52 timesPubMed
Women recently through menopause did brisk walking with resistance training for 15 weeks and improved leg strength and walking time, but not balance, with 92% adherence.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 134 women · 15 weeks · 2006Early postmenopausalCited 20 timesPubMed
Postmenopausal women did 10 weeks of high volume resistance training with or without whey protein, and strength and muscle thickness increased in both groups equally.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 12 women · 10 weeks · 2015PostmenopausalCited 26 timesPubMed
Postmenopausal women did a 1 year trunk resistance exercise program three times weekly, and researchers found no significant difference in bone density versus controls.
Direction not statedRandomised trial · 49 women · 52 weeks · 1992PostmenopausalCited 34 timesPubMed
Obese postmenopausal women who did 12 weeks of whole body resistance training 3 days a week gained muscular strength and had lower total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol than controls.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 21 women · 12 weeks · 2011PostmenopausalCited 25 timesPubMed
In 28 postmenopausal women with osteoporosis or osteopenia, 12 weeks of home-based trunk strengthening exercise improved spinal mobility, trunk strength, and some quality of life domains versus controls.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 28 women · 12 weeks · 2005PostmenopausalCited 27 timesPubMed
Postmenopausal women did periodized resistance training for 16 weeks; high responders gained more leg press strength than low responders, and leptin fell over time in both groups.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 26 women · 16 weeks · 2018PostmenopausalCited 20 timesPubMed
Osteopenic postmenopausal women took soy protein alone or with 12 weeks of resistance exercise 4 times weekly; the combined group showed greater gains in muscle strength and bone measures.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 60 women · 12 weeks · 2013PostmenopausalCited 19 timesPubMed
Postmenopausal women with osteopenia and a healed wrist fracture did a 6-month weighted vest and balance exercise programme, showing no significant difference from education alone in strength, bone density, balance or quality of life.
No difference foundRandomised trial · 80 women · 26 weeks · 2015PostmenopausalCited 17 timesPubMed
In 30 postmenopausal women with fibromyalgia, a 6 week exercise program with added whole body vibration improved one balance stability measure more than exercise alone, with no other differences.
No difference foundRandomised trial · 30 women · 6 weeks · 2012PostmenopausalCited 22 timesPubMed
Hypertensive postmenopausal women did low-intensity resistance training with L-citrulline for 8 weeks and showed improved leg blood vessel function, lean mass and leg strength versus placebo.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 24 women · 8 weeks · 2022PostmenopausalCited 18 timesPubMed
Overweight postmenopausal women did 16 weeks of resistance training with or without DHA supplementation, with training maintaining bone mineral content, increasing lean mass and strength, and improving glucose tolerance.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 16 weeks · 2021PostmenopausalCited 36 timesPubMed
Postmenopausal women doing 16 weeks of resistance training with either 3 or 6 sets per exercise gained similar muscle strength, with no change in basal hormone levels.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 34 women · 16 weeks · 2019PostmenopausalCited 18 timesPubMed
Postmenopausal women did 11 weeks of resistance training three times weekly, and high-volume training reduced post-meal blood fat levels more than low-volume training.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 36 women · 11 weeks · 2015PostmenopausalCited 18 timesPubMed
Overweight postmenopausal women who did 6 months of combined resistance and aerobic training increased leg and bench press strength and muscle mass index, with no added benefit from isoflavones.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 70 women · 26 weeks · 2013PostmenopausalCited 16 timesPubMed
Postmenopausal women with osteoporosis did back extensor exercise with or without eldecalcitol for 24 weeks; eldecalcitol increased quadriceps strength but balance, walking and fall rates did not differ.
Mixed resultsRandomised trial · 226 women · 24 weeks · 2021PostmenopausalCited 10 timesPubMed
Postmenopausal women over 50 did 12 weeks of Thera-Band resistance training; strength and fat-free mass increased, but gains were lost after 4 weeks of detraining.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 20 women · 12 weeks · 2013PostmenopausalCited 19 timesPubMed
Women aged 45 to 60 did a 12-week leg exercise program on a vibrating or non-vibrating platform, and vibration did not improve leg strength or power more than exercise alone.
No difference foundRandomised trial · 39 women · 12 weeks · 2013Midlife womenCited 16 timesPubMed
Older postmenopausal women did 32 weeks of elastic band resistance training with or without seawater supplementation and researchers found resistance training, not the supplement, drove improved strength and lower body fat.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 93 women · 32 weeks · 2023PostmenopausalCited 10 timesPubMed
Postmenopausal women did 12 weeks of multimodal exercise wearing weighted vests, which reduced a bone resorption marker and improved ankle strength versus controls.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 16 women · 12 weeks · 2007PostmenopausalCited 21 timesPubMed
In 30 postmenopausal women, 8 weeks of resistance training increased muscle mass and strength, with branched-chain amino acid supplementation not adding further benefit.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 30 women · 8 weeks · 2021PostmenopausalCited 13 timesPubMed
Six months of heavy resistance and power training in middle-aged and older men and women increased maximal strength by about 27 to 35 percent and increased type II muscle fibre area in women.
Reported an improvementControlled trial · 42 women · 26 weeks · 2001Midlife womenCited 205 timesPubMed
In a 12-week trial, 55 postmenopausal women doing resistance training, with or without a high-protein diet, increased skeletal muscle mass and strength more than diet alone or control.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 55 women · 12 weeks · 2024PostmenopausalCited 10 timesPubMed
Postmenopausal women with low bone density did 9 months of resistance training plus either whole body vibration or balance training; vibration produced greater gains in jump power.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 57 women · 36 weeks · 2013PostmenopausalCited 13 timesPubMed
In middle-aged women, 12 weeks of HMB plus vitamin D combined with resistance training or sedentary behavior reduced fat within muscle but did not change muscle function.
No difference foundRandomised trial · 43 women · 12 weeks · 2022Midlife womenCited 11 timesPubMed
Over 10 weeks, sedentary postmenopausal women doing aerobic and strength training with or without whole-body electrostimulation improved strength, agility and speed, with added cardiovascular benefit from electrostimulation.
Mixed resultsRandomised trial · 34 women · 10 weeks · 2020PostmenopausalCited 12 timesPubMed
Untrained women aged 45 to 55 did 3 months of endurance or strength training, improving fitness or strength, but knee cartilage thickness and volume on MRI did not change.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 38 women · 12 weeks · 2010Midlife womenCited 15 timesPubMed
In 36 postmenopausal breast cancer survivors, 12 weeks of resistance training increased strength by about 25 to 35% and fatigue decreased, alongside changes in kynurenine metabolism markers.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 36 women · 12 weeks · 2022PostmenopausalCited 11 timesPubMed
In 32 postmenopausal women aged 62 to 75, six weeks of stair climbing, electrostimulation, or both increased leg strength and vertical jump, with combined training also affecting bone density.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 32 women · 6 weeks · 2005PostmenopausalCited 17 timesPubMed
Postmenopausal women did 12 weeks of higher or lower volume resistance training; both improved exercise tolerance and strength similarly despite the higher-volume group gaining more muscle mass.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 58 women · 12 weeks · 2021PostmenopausalCited 10 timesPubMed
Sedentary postmenopausal women did 8 weeks of whole body vibration, circuit resistance, or aerobic training, with vibration showing no body composition benefit and a strength decrease versus other methods.
Mixed resultsRandomised trial · 8 weeks · 2014PostmenopausalCited 28 timesPubMed
Postmenopausal women did 16 weeks of low or high volume resistance training; high-volume training improved fast walking speed and waist measures more than low-volume, while strength gains were similar between groups.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 33 women · 16 weeks · 2017PostmenopausalCited 12 timesPubMed
Middle-aged women did 12 weeks of resistance training or walking three times weekly, and resistance training improved body image more than walking.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 60 women · 12 weeks · 1993Midlife womenCited 19 timesPubMed
Postmenopausal women did 12 months of leg strength training with or without whole body vibration, and the vibration group showed greater leg strength gains and fewer falls.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 151 women · 52 weeks · 2010PostmenopausalCited 10 timesPubMed
Postmenopausal women did 10 weeks of resistance training with normal or higher protein intake; higher protein gave a small added gain in walking speed but not strength or lean mass quality.
No difference foundRandomised trial · 47 women · 10 weeks · 2019PostmenopausalCited 10 timesPubMed
Middle-aged women did 12 weeks of vibration training or conventional strength training, with vibration improving postural sway and both groups gaining knee strength.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 38 women · 12 weeks · 2010Midlife womenCited 13 timesPubMed
Obese menopausal women did 6 months of caloric restriction with or without resistance training; adding resistance training improved muscle strength more in women with low baseline strength.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 109 women · 26 weeks · 2015Midlife womenCited 9 timesPubMed
Postmenopausal women with osteopenia did 12 months of vibration or resistance training, bone density was maintained in all groups, and resistance training improved quality of life and postural control.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 65 women · 52 weeks · 2022PostmenopausalCited 8 timesPubMed
Postmenopausal women with osteoporosis did back extensor exercise with or without added vitamin D3, and strength gains did not differ overall but were greater with D3 in women under 68.
Mixed resultsRandomised trial · 94 women · 16 weeks · 2013PostmenopausalCited 9 timesPubMed
In 58 women within 5 years of menopause, 3 months of twice-weekly muscle strengthening exercise increased leg muscle strength but did not improve 6-minute walk distance, heart rate, or blood pressure.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 58 women · 12 weeks · 2012Early postmenopausalCited 10 timesPubMed
Postmenopausal women did 8 weeks of resistance training 3 times weekly, and both protein timing groups gained lean mass, strength, and walking performance with no difference between groups.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 34 women · 8 weeks · 2020PostmenopausalCited 9 timesPubMed
Older postmenopausal women did 12 weeks of resistance training three times weekly; the training group showed greater gains in upper and lower limb endurance and dynamic balance than controls, but no coordination difference.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 49 women · 12 weeks · 2021PostmenopausalCited 8 timesPubMed
58 postmenopausal women did 12 weeks of higher or lower volume resistance training; higher volume produced greater lean mass gains but similar strength gains.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 58 women · 12 weeks · 2022PostmenopausalCited 7 timesPubMed
After 12 weeks of resistance training, healthy postmenopausal women and postmenopausal breast cancer survivors both gained muscle thickness, strength, and physical performance, with no differences between groups.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 24 women · 12 weeks · 2024PostmenopausalCited 8 timesPubMed
Postmenopausal women did 8 weeks of twice-weekly resistance training, and both groups increased muscle strength equally, with quality of life and balance improving only in the group without added light therapy.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 34 women · 8 weeks · 2020PostmenopausalCited 8 timesPubMed
In middle-aged breast cancer survivors, resistance training increased strength and power and improved walking speed, with strength and power gains explaining the improvement.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 21 women · 2024Midlife womenCited 8 timesPubMed
In healthy older women, 8 weeks of resistance training combined with fish oil increased handgrip strength and lowered blood pressure and inflammatory markers more than resistance training with placebo.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 20 women · 8 weeks · 2023PostmenopausalCited 8 timesPubMed
In postmenopausal women, 12 weeks of resistance training reduced intramuscular estradiol, testosterone and DHEA levels regardless of whether participants also received estrogen therapy.
Direction not statedRandomised trial · 31 women · 12 weeks · 2022PostmenopausalCited 7 timesPubMed
Postmenopausal women who did 9 weeks of whole-body resistance training with or without low-dose ibuprofen showed similar changes in lean mass and strength, with no added effect from ibuprofen.
No difference foundRandomised trial · 28 women · 9 weeks · 2013PostmenopausalCited 9 timesPubMed
In 44 postmenopausal women, 12 weeks of resistance training increased upper and lower body muscle strength and power, with no added benefit from vitamin D supplementation.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 44 women · 12 weeks · 2024PostmenopausalCited 6 timesPubMed
Postmenopausal women did high-intensity resistance, weight-bearing and balance training twice weekly for 8 months and showed greater gains in lumbar spine bone density and muscle performance than a low-intensity group.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 28 women · 32 weeks · 2022PostmenopausalCited 7 timesPubMed
Middle-aged and elderly women did 6 months of heavy resistance training and gained 24-28% in maximal strength, with no systematic changes in basal sex hormone levels.
Reported an improvementControlled trial · 21 women · 26 weeks · 2000Midlife womenCited 140 timesPubMed
In 42 postmenopausal women with thumb joint osteoarthritis, 4 weeks of strength training with or without added neuromuscular facilitation reduced disability, pain, and improved mobility and grip strength.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 42 women · 4 weeks · 2024PostmenopausalCited 6 timesPubMed
A 12 month trial in 49 elderly women found contrast and hypertrophy resistance training both increased whole body and lumbar spine bone density, with contrast training showing greatest gains versus declines in controls.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 49 women · 52 weeks · 2024PostmenopausalCited 5 timesPubMed
Postmenopausal women did 24 weeks of resistance training with different load-order schemes and both approaches improved strength, sit-to-stand power and walking speed similarly.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 24 women · 24 weeks · 2023PostmenopausalCited 6 timesPubMed
Untrained peri- and postmenopausal women who did 10 weeks of resistance training gained significant strength, with leucine supplementation adding no extra benefit to strength, fat free mass or hormones.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 36 women · 10 weeks · 2020Midlife womenCited 5 timesPubMed
In postmenopausal women, 8 weeks of Nordic walking with a resistance shock absorber improved femur strength index and shoulder muscle torque but did not change whole-body or spine bone density.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 25 women · 8 weeks · 2022PostmenopausalCited 5 timesPubMed
In 39 middle-aged women, 12 weeks of single-leg strength training produced crossover strength and balance gains in the untrained leg, stronger when the non-dominant leg trained.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 39 women · 12 weeks · 2024Midlife womenCited 4 timesPubMed
A scoping review of 69 studies found resistance training programs for postmenopausal women most often targeted body composition and muscular performance but rarely included functional exercises.
Direction not statedSystematic review · 2025PostmenopausalPubMed
Young, middle-aged and elderly women performed heavy resistance exercise (bench press, sit-ups, leg press) and showed significant acute strength loss, with growth hormone rising in younger and middle-aged but not elderly women.
Reported a worseningControlled trial · 47 women · 1995Midlife womenCited 92 timesPubMed
In 14 postmenopausal women doing a single bout of maximal eccentric leg exercise, those not using hormone therapy showed greater muscle damage markers than those using hormone therapy.
Direction not statedControlled trial · 14 women · 2009PostmenopausalCited 81 timesPubMed
Postmenopausal women did lower-load or higher-load resistance training; lower-load training gave slightly greater leg lean mass gains, with similar strength and inflammatory marker changes.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 29 women · 2022PostmenopausalCited 4 timesPubMed
Obese women aged 40 to 50 did combined aerobic and resistance exercise for 16 weeks, and the exercise group showed significantly greater increases in chest, leg and abdominal strength than controls.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 16 weeks · 2013Midlife womenCited 10 timesPubMed
In 42 middle-aged women after knee osteotomy, low-intensity resistance exercise with blood flow restriction at higher pressure best preserved thigh muscle size and increased strength over 12 weeks, with pain improving in all groups.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 42 women · 12 weeks · 2022Midlife womenCited 3 timesPubMed
Peri and postmenopausal women and men did 6 weeks of resistance training with a post-workout supplement or carbohydrate only, and the supplement group gained more fat-free mass and lost more fat and waist circumference.
Direction not statedRandomised trial · 20 women · 6 weeks · 2025Midlife womenCited 3 timesPubMed
In 71 postmenopausal women, 12 weeks of HIIT Nordic walking increased lean mass and lower limb strength, while strength training reduced fat mass and improved upper limb strength and walking speed.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 71 women · 12 weeks · 2025PostmenopausalCited 2 timesPubMed
In pre, peri and postmenopausal women, 12 weeks of low-impact resistance training improved hip strength, balance, flexibility and lean mass equally regardless of menopause status.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 70 women · 12 weeks · 2025Midlife womenCited 2 timesPubMed
Thirty-six middle-aged women with sarcopenia did 12 weeks of resistance exercise with or without nitrate supplementation after knee surgery, and nitrate plus exercise improved muscle mass and strength more.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 36 women · 12 weeks · 2025Midlife womenCited 2 timesPubMed
Thirteen moderately obese postmenopausal women did 4 months of resistive training, with or without weight loss, and authors reported decreased insulin response and increased strength.
Reported an improvementControlled trial · 13 women · 16 weeks · 1996PostmenopausalCited 65 timesPubMed
In older women doing 8 weeks of leg resistance training, shatavari supplementation increased training load and shortened muscle relaxation time but did not improve strength more than placebo.
No difference foundRandomised trial · 22 women · 8 weeks · 2024PostmenopausalCited 2 timesPubMed
Early postmenopausal women with low bone density did a 14 month high-impact, strength and endurance program and had increased lumbar spine bone density, strength and fitness versus controls.
Reported an improvementControlled trial · 100 women · 60 weeks · 2003Early postmenopausalCited 34 timesPubMed
Sedentary overweight postmenopausal women did resistance training 1, 2 or 3 days weekly for 16 weeks; strength and muscle mass improved in all groups, but only 3 days weekly prevented rises in glucose and CRP.
Reported an improvementControlled trial · 30 women · 16 weeks · 2014PostmenopausalCited 33 timesPubMed
In 114 young and middle-aged breast cancer patients after surgery, moderate-to-high intensity resistance exercise improved shoulder joint mobility, pain, strength and immune markers more than low intensity exercise.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 114 women · 2025Midlife womenCited 1 timesPubMed
Japanese postmenopausal women with sarcopenia did light-load power training twice weekly for 6 weeks and showed improved pelvis bone density and knee strength versus controls.
Reported an improvementControlled trial · 15 women · 6 weeks · 2017PostmenopausalCited 34 timesPubMed
In women aged 40-60, 12 weeks of strength training with or without fortified milk improved muscle mass, strength and physical function after a prior inactivity period, regardless of menopause status.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 83 women · 12 weeks · 2025Midlife womenCited 1 timesPubMed
Middle-aged women did 10 weeks of free-weight resistance training after a control phase, and lean mass and thigh muscle thickness increased in premenopausal women but not in postmenopausal women.
Reported an improvementControlled trial · 31 women · 20 weeks · 2023Midlife womenCited 22 timesPubMed
Postmenopausal women with osteosarcopenia did 6 months of supervised resistance training plus nutrition support, improving muscle mass and grip strength more than home exercise, with no difference in bone density.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 34 women · 24 weeks · 2025PostmenopausalCited 1 timesPubMed
A one-year weight training program added to dance exercise increased muscular strength in middle-aged women but did not significantly increase overall bone mineral density.
Reported an improvementControlled trial · 54 women · 52 weeks · 1991Midlife womenCited 39 timesPubMed
Postmenopausal women with osteopenia did strength training twice weekly for 6 months and showed no bone loss in the spine and femoral neck, unlike controls who lost significant bone density, while strength rose sharply.
Reported an improvementControlled trial · 31 women · 26 weeks · 1996PostmenopausalCited 38 timesPubMed
A 4 week minimal dose resistance training program in 26 menopausal women improved bench press and leg press strength, while cardiac autonomic and hemodynamic measures stayed stable.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 26 women · 4 weeks · 2024Midlife womenCited 1 timesPubMed
Untrained postmenopausal women doing high-repetition resistance training 2 or 3 days a week for 8 weeks showed similar gains in muscle thickness, strength and endurance.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 8 weeks · 2022PostmenopausalCited 3 timesPubMed
Middle-aged women did low-intensity knee-extension resistance training twice weekly for 12 weeks and showed increased knee extensor muscle size and significant strength gains.
Reported an improvementControlled trial · 10 women · 12 weeks · 2002Midlife womenCited 38 timesPubMed
In postmenopausal obese women, aerobic and resistance exercise both reduced weight, body fat and waist circumference and increased maximum oxygen uptake and knee muscle strength, with no change in estrogen.
Reported an improvementControlled trial · 30 women · 2018PostmenopausalCited 20 timesPubMed
In 40 postmenopausal women, 12 weeks of whole-body resistance training at either lower or higher load improved adiponectin, body fat, muscle strength and walking performance similarly.
Reported an improvementControlled trial · 40 women · 12 weeks · 2021PostmenopausalCited 15 timesPubMed
Early postmenopausal women did high impact aerobic, jumping and resistance exercise for 50 months, maintaining spine bone density and improving cholesterol, body fat and strength versus non-training controls.
Reported an improvementControlled trial · 68 women · 217 weeks · 2007Early postmenopausalCited 18 timesPubMed
Untrained middle-aged women did 8 weeks of resistance training 3 or 4 days a week; both schedules increased lean mass, body weight and strength with no between-group difference.
Reported an improvementControlled trial · 21 women · 8 weeks · 2011Midlife womenCited 20 timesPubMed
Postmenopausal women with knee osteoarthritis did 24 weeks of home leg exercises with or without vitamin D3 or E, and all groups improved in symptoms and strength with no added benefit from supplements.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 80 women · 24 weeks · 2026PostmenopausalPubMed
In a crossover trial, 50 postmenopausal women performed resistance training sessions with different set configurations; shorter sets, 4 reps, reduced velocity and power loss and lactate rise versus other configurations.
Mixed resultsRandomised trial · 50 women · 2026PostmenopausalPubMed
Postmenopausal women with hot flushes did supervised resistance training three times weekly for 15 weeks and increased muscle volume and strength, while muscle fat infiltration did not change.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 44 women · 15 weeks · 2026PostmenopausalPubMed
Forty-nine postmenopausal women did 12 weeks of resistance training at self-selected or imposed intensity; both groups improved strength, muscle mass and physical performance with no difference between them.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 49 women · 12 weeks · 2025PostmenopausalPubMed
In a trial of 40 peri and early postmenopausal women, 9 months of twice weekly heavy strength and impact training increased lean mass, muscle strength, leg power, and lumbar spine bone density versus a waitlist control.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 40 women · 39 weeks · 2026PerimenopausalPubMed
43 middle-aged adults including peri and postmenopausal women did 6 weeks of resistance training with a pre-workout supplement or carbohydrate alone, both groups improved body composition and strength similarly.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 43 women · 6 weeks · 2025Midlife womenPubMed
Postmenopausal women trained using weight machines, elastic bands, or aquatic resistance devices, and all three groups improved fat mass, fat free mass, and strength test performance.
Reported an improvementControlled trial · 2012PostmenopausalCited 28 timesPubMed
In a follow-up of 33 postmenopausal Korean women with osteosarcopenia, six months after stopping resistance or home exercise, muscle strength, gait speed and bone density declined while muscle mass stayed stable.
Reported a worseningRandomised trial · 33 women · 2026PostmenopausalPubMed
In a 12-week trial, 10 obese postmenopausal women doing low intensity resistance exercise showed improved heart rate variability balance and increased leg strength versus 10 controls, with no change in body composition.
Reported an improvementControlled trial · 20 women · 12 weeks · 2019PostmenopausalCited 12 timesPubMed
Postmenopausal women with overweight or obesity did 16 weeks of resistance training and/or DHA supplementation, with muscle quality improving more with resistance training and cardiometabolic markers improving more with DHA.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 16 weeks · 2025PostmenopausalCited 1 timesPubMed
In 23 sedentary middle-aged women, six weeks of resistance training combined with electrical stimulation reduced LDL and total cholesterol more than resistance training alone, with no difference in glucose or CRP.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 23 women · 6 weeks · 2026Midlife womenPubMed
Perimenopausal women aged 45 to 55 did 12 weeks of strength or endurance training; strength training improved muscle strength and quality, while endurance training raised aerobic fitness by 28%.
Reported an improvementControlled trial · 42 women · 12 weeks · 2009PerimenopausalCited 12 timesPubMed
Postmenopausal women did 16 weeks of resistance training three times weekly; muscle strength increased significantly, but overall quality of life scores did not differ from controls.
Reported an improvementControlled trial · 32 women · 16 weeks · 2012PostmenopausalCited 11 timesPubMed
In 40 postmenopausal women, 24 weeks of walking and strength training combined with dieting increased muscle strength, while bone density and VO2max did not change.
Reported an improvementControlled trial · 40 women · 24 weeks · 1997PostmenopausalCited 14 timesPubMed
In 113 postmenopausal women, 16 weeks of supervised resistance training increased knee strength more than a non-training control group, though training frequency and insulin resistance affected individual response.
Reported an improvementControlled trial · 113 women · 16 weeks · 2022PostmenopausalCited 5 timesPubMed
In healthy older postmenopausal women receiving estrogen, muscle mass adjusted for body mass predicted physical performance measures like walking speed better than muscle mass adjusted for height.
Direction not statedCross-sectional study · 189 women · 2007PostmenopausalCited 72 timesPubMed
In postmenopausal women with and without osteoporosis, 13 to 15 weeks of heavy strength training increased muscle strength in both groups and altered muscle gene expression linked to bone density.
Reported an improvementControlled trial · 35 women · 15 weeks · 2020PostmenopausalCited 5 timesPubMed
Postmenopausal women with low bone mass who did 3 months of weight-bearing and resistance exercise showed increased bone formation markers, strength, and improved quality of life.
Reported an improvementBefore-and-after study · 33 women · 12 weeks · 2019PostmenopausalCited 38 timesPubMed
Six months of resistance training in older men and postmenopausal women with normal or impaired glucose tolerance improved muscle strength and showed a trend toward better insulin sensitivity.
Reported an improvementBefore-and-after study · 18 women · 26 weeks · 2001PostmenopausalCited 65 timesPubMed
Postmenopausal women with obesity who did 4 months of resistance training saw decreased body fat and increased strength and fitness, with smaller effects on cholesterol and no change in blood sugar control.
Reported an improvementControlled trial · 51 women · 16 weeks · 2024PostmenopausalCited 2 timesPubMed
Postmenopausal women did 24 weeks of strength training or hydro gymnastics, with both groups showing improved cardiorespiratory fitness and strength training also reducing body mass index.
Mixed resultsControlled trial · 38 women · 24 weeks · 2014PostmenopausalCited 3 timesPubMed
Postmenopausal breast cancer survivors did 16 weeks of whole-body resistance training and showed increased muscle strength, reduced fatigue, improved quality of life, and lower inflammatory markers.
Reported an improvementBefore-and-after study · 11 women · 16 weeks · 2018PostmenopausalCited 40 timesPubMed
Elderly postmenopausal women did 12 months of periodized resistance training twice weekly and showed increased muscle strength and lean mass with reduced body fat and leptin.
Reported an improvementBefore-and-after study · 23 women · 52 weeks · 2013PostmenopausalCited 37 timesPubMed
Postmenopausal women aged around 62 did 16 weeks of resistance training, gaining 32 to 98% in strength, with bone mineral density unchanged and a small decrease in body weight.
Reported an improvementBefore-and-after study · 27 women · 16 weeks · 1998PostmenopausalCited 39 timesPubMed
Postmenopausal women did a 6-week lower body strength training program, and those also on hormone replacement showed improved gait balance, while strength gains were not statistically significant in either group.
No difference foundControlled trial · 31 women · 6 weeks · 2005PostmenopausalCited 2 timesPubMed
In 35 pre and postmenopausal women with higher body fat, 12 weeks of resistance training lowered body fat in premenopausal women and improved grip strength and other fitness measures in both groups.
Reported an improvementBefore-and-after study · 35 women · 12 weeks · 2019Midlife womenCited 19 timesPubMed
Postmenopausal women did 19 weeks of community-based high- and odd-impact, resistance and balance training and showed reduced body fat and modest bone density gains but no change in strength or balance.
No difference foundControlled trial · 22 women · 19 weeks · 2022PostmenopausalCited 1 timesPubMed
In 21 postmenopausal breast cancer survivors, a 12-month program of home strength training plus alendronate, calcium and vitamin D improved balance, muscle strength and spine and hip bone density.
Reported an improvementBefore-and-after study · 21 women · 52 weeks · 2003PostmenopausalCited 30 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.
Direction not statedBefore-and-after study · 7 women · 12 weeks · 2016Midlife womenCited 25 timesPubMed
Eight postmenopausal women underwent 7 days of leg immobilization then 7 days of resistance exercise rehabilitation, which reported partial recovery of muscle protein synthesis, strength and fiber size after strength declined during disuse.
Reported an improvementControlled trial · 8 women · 2 weeks · 2025PostmenopausalCited 1 timesPubMed
Postmenopausal women who did systematic strength training for 6 months lost far less bone density in the hip and spine than a non-exercising control group.
Direction not statedControlled trial · 31 women · 26 weeks · 1993PostmenopausalCited 2 timesPubMed
Over six weeks, postmenopausal obese women doing aquatic resistance, balance and proprioceptive training showed greater improvements in strength, balance and ankle-foot alignment than land-based exercise.
Reported an improvementControlled trial · 143 women · 6 weeks · 2025PostmenopausalPubMed
In peri- and postmenopausal women, 10 weeks of resistance training increased muscle strength and lowered a neuromuscular degradation marker in postmenopausal participants.
Reported an improvementBefore-and-after study · 35 women · 10 weeks · 2020Midlife womenCited 12 timesPubMed
A review reported that resistance training has been shown effective in attenuating age related muscle loss and strength decline in postmenopausal women.
Reported an improvementOther · 2011PostmenopausalCited 281 timesPubMed
Ten middle-aged women completed an 8-week resistance training program, after which a single strength test trial gave reliable results compared with needing multiple trials before training.
Direction not statedBefore-and-after study · 10 women · 8 weeks · 2013Midlife womenCited 14 timesPubMed
Postmenopausal women aged 50 to 64 did 8 weeks of progressive elastic resistance training and increased quadriceps, hamstring and grip strength.
Reported an improvementBefore-and-after study · 18 women · 8 weeks · 1994PostmenopausalCited 15 timesPubMed
Twelve middle-aged women did resistance and aerobic training 3 times weekly for 14 weeks and increased strength and lean tissue, with a small drop in body fat percentage.
Reported an improvementBefore-and-after study · 12 women · 14 weeks · 2006Midlife womenCited 12 timesPubMed
Postmenopausal women with osteopenia did a 6-month weighted-vest and education program, with high adherence and improved quadriceps strength and hip bone density.
Reported an improvementBefore-and-after study · 42 women · 26 weeks · 2015PostmenopausalCited 7 timesPubMed
In 35 postmenopausal women aged around 63, 16 weeks of periodized resistance training increased maximal strength and reduced inflammatory markers like interleukin-6, leptin and resistin.
Reported an improvementOther · 35 women · 16 weeks · 2009PostmenopausalCited 86 timesPubMed
A case study of a 71-year-old woman who began resistance training at 63 reported greater muscle mass, strength, bone density and fitness than age-matched postmenopausal controls.
Reported an improvementBefore-and-after study · 1 women · 2024PostmenopausalCited 9 timesPubMed
In 378 postmenopausal women across four intervention studies including hormones, exercise and nutrition, those classified as weak gained more grip strength and physical performance over six months.
Reported an improvementOther · 378 women · 26 weeks · 2015PostmenopausalCited 40 timesPubMed
Five postmenopausal women did 12 months of progressive resistance training, showing increased mitochondrial mass and muscle tissue repair but no significant increase in leg strength.
No difference foundBefore-and-after study · 5 women · 52 weeks · 2013PostmenopausalCited 8 timesPubMed
A review reported that high-intensity resistance training increased strength and muscle size in sedentary postmenopausal and frail elderly women, including nursing home residents.
Reported an improvementOther · 100 women · 1995Midlife womenCited 64 timesPubMed
A cross-sectional study of 5652 Korean postmenopausal women found regular resistance exercise plus adequate protein intake was associated with higher handgrip strength and lower odds of weak grip.
Reported an improvementCross-sectional study · 5,652 women · 2026PostmenopausalPubMed
In 40 middle-aged men and women, those doing regular resistance training had higher concentric ankle strength than those doing endurance training, with smaller differences in eccentric strength.
Mixed resultsCross-sectional study · 40 women · 2002Midlife womenCited 3 timesPubMed
Three elderly women did 40 weeks of jumping, balance and strength exercise, with or without raloxifene, which improved balance, gait speed and leg strength but had limited effect on bone density.
Reported an improvementBefore-and-after study · 3 women · 40 weeks · 2002PostmenopausalCited 4 timesPubMed
In middle-aged women around 50 performing heavy leg press resistance exercise, maximal force dropped about 31% after loading and remained reduced two hours later, recovering by two days.
Reported a worseningOther · 23 women · 1995Midlife womenCited 28 timesPubMed
This protocol describes an 8-month trial testing whether high-intensity resistance and impact training with or without osteoporosis medication changes bone density in postmenopausal women with low bone mass, no results yet.
Direction not statedOther · 160 women · 32 weeks · 2019PostmenopausalCited 8 timesPubMed
Fourteen postmenopausal breast cancer survivors on tamoxifen did 12 weeks of resistance training then 12 weeks of detraining, with fat mass decreasing and muscle strength and cholesterol improving after training.
Reported an improvementOther · 14 women · 12 weeks · 2021PostmenopausalCited 12 timesPubMed
This is a trial protocol for 80 Japanese women over 65 with knee osteoarthritis combining oestrogen gel with 12 weeks of muscle resistance exercise, with no results reported yet.
Direction not statedOther · 80 women · 12 weeks · 2023PostmenopausalCited 7 timesPubMed
This protocol describes a one-year trial in 324 men and postmenopausal women with low bone density comparing moderate versus high intensity resistance training on spine bone density, with no results yet.
Direction not statedOther · 324 women · 52 weeks · 2023PostmenopausalCited 5 timesPubMed
Untrained older women doing resistance training with higher habitual protein intake showed greater gains in skeletal muscle mass and strength than those with lower protein intake.
Reported an improvementOther · 70 women · 2019PostmenopausalCited 7 timesPubMed
A review on aging muscle loss noted menopause as a contributing hormonal factor to sarcopenia and stated resistance exercise remains the main validated approach to counter it in elderly people.
Direction not statedOther · 1999Midlife womenCited 27 timesPubMed
This protocol describes an 8 month trial testing high-intensity resistance and impact exercise combined with romosozumab versus low-intensity exercise in 102 postmenopausal women with osteoporosis, results not yet reported.
Direction not statedOther · 102 women · 32 weeks · 2024PostmenopausalCited 5 timesPubMed
A position statement concluded regular exercise may reduce bone loss rate and improve muscle strength and balance in postmenopausal women with osteoporosis, though less effective than estrogen for bone density.
Reported an improvementOther · 2000PostmenopausalCited 23 timesPubMed
Ten postmenopausal women did one-legged resistance exercise after taking fermented red clover extract or placebo for 14 days, with no difference in muscle protein markers' response to exercise between treatments.
Direction not statedOther · 10 women · 2 weeks · 2020Early postmenopausalCited 8 timesPubMed
A review reported that aerobic and resistance exercise in menopausal women was linked to improved cardiovascular fitness, increased bone mineral content, greater muscle strength and reduced body fat.
Reported an improvementOther · 1990Midlife womenCited 21 timesPubMed
An 8 week moderate-intensity resistance training program in postmenopausal women improved muscle strength and size, with greater gains in women carrying a specific ACE gene variant.
Reported an improvementOther · 40 women · 8 weeks · 2019PostmenopausalCited 4 timesPubMed
A 12-week RCT protocol will compare time-restricted eating alone or with resistance training against calorie restriction plus resistance training, measuring muscle quantity and quality in postmenopausal women with overweight or obesity.
Direction not statedOther · 78 women · 12 weeks · 2025PostmenopausalCited 2 timesPubMed
A pilot RCT protocol will test a 9-month high-intensity resistance and impact training program in 40 perimenopausal and early postmenopausal women, assessing feasibility and bone, muscle and function measures.
Direction not statedOther · 40 women · 36 weeks · 2025PerimenopausalCited 2 timesPubMed
This review reported that both aerobic exercise and weight training help maintain or build bone density in postmenopausal women, with weight training also improving strength and balance.
Reported an improvementOther · 1999PostmenopausalCited 5 timesPubMed
100 postmenopausal women did a five-repetition sit-to-stand test before and after 3 months of resistance training, and both equation-based and platform power measures showed increased power.
Reported an improvementOther · 122 women · 12 weeks · 2026PostmenopausalPubMed
A pilot trial protocol will test whether splitting strength exercises into small daily snacks versus one session improves 12-week adherence in perimenopausal women; results are not yet available.
Direction not statedOther · 90 women · 24 weeks · 2026PerimenopausalPubMed
This article argued sarcopenia often begins at menopause and discussed resistance training, diet and early diagnosis as low-risk interventions during midlife.
Direction not statedOther · 2025Midlife womenCited 1 timesPubMed
This protocol describes a trial testing whole-body vibration, high-intensity resistance and impact training, or both, over 9 months in postmenopausal women with low bone mass, measuring hip bone density.
Direction not statedOther · 36 weeks · 2022PostmenopausalCited 1 timesPubMed