Skip to main content

Long Reproductive Period Linked to Lower Risk for Low Handgrip Strength

Medically reviewed by Carmen Pope, BPharm. Last updated on Nov 30, 2023.

By Elana Gotkine HealthDay Reporter

WEDNESDAY, Nov. 29, 2023 -- For postmenopausal women, a longer reproductive period is associated with a reduced risk for low handgrip strength (HGS), according to a study published online Nov. 28 in Menopause.

Sae Rom Lee, M.D., from the Pusan National University Yangsan Hospital in South Korea, and colleagues examined the association between reproductive period, encompassing menarche and menopause, and HGS in postmenopausal women. The analysis included 2,354 postmenopausal women aged 45 to 75 years.

The researchers found that the more extended the reproductive period, the lower the risk for low absolute HGS; even after controlling for other variables, this trend persisted. The odds ratios (95 percent confidence intervals) for low absolute HGS were 0.752 (0.563 to 1.000) and 0.683 (0.513 to 0.900), respectively, for the second and third versus the first tertile reproductive period. After covariate adjustment, the corresponding odds ratios for low relative HGS were 0.761 (0.551 to 1.052) and 0.732 (0.533 to 0.972) for the second and third versus the first reproductive period.

"This study showed that a longer reproductive period and later age at menopause were linked to a lower risk of low handgrip strength in postmenopausal Korean women," Stephanie Faubion, M.D., medical director of the North American Menopause Society, said in a statement. "This finding may relate to the beneficial effects of estrogen on skeletal muscle. Additional longitudinal studies are needed in different populations to confirm these findings."

Abstract/Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)

Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.

© 2024 HealthDay. All rights reserved.

Posted November 2023

Read this next

Risk for Depressive Symptoms Increased for Perimenopausal Women

THURSDAY, May 9, 2024 -- Perimenopausal women have an increased risk for depressive symptoms and diagnoses, according to a review published in the July 15 issue of the Journal of...

Surgical Premature Menopause Tied to Risk for Muscle Disorders

TUESDAY, May 7, 2024 -- Women experiencing surgical premature menopause (PM) have a higher likelihood of developing musculoskeletal disorders, according to a study published...

Risk for Most Cardiovascular Diseases No Higher With Inflammatory Bowel Disease

FRIDAY, May 3, 2024 -- Among postmenopausal women with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), there is no higher risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD) compared with women without IBD...

More news resources

Subscribe to our newsletter

Whatever your topic of interest, subscribe to our newsletters to get the best of Drugs.com in your inbox.