Effects of Estrogen on Muscle Gain During 12-weeks of Exercise in Post-menopausal Women

As females age and transition through menopause, the decline in oestrogen level profoundly affects skeletal muscle mass and function. HER-MUSCLE aims to unravel the mechanisms by which oestrogen enhances muscle growth, providing insights for targeted therapies to improve the health and physical function of postmenopausal females.

Focusing on postmenopausal females, an increasingly at-risk demographic, HER-MUSCLE addresses a critical gap in understanding how oestrogen influences muscle mass and function during anabolic (exercise) conditions.

The project involves:

• Clinical Trial: Postmenopausal females will receive either oestrogen or placebo, twelve weeks of exercise training to detect oestrogen regulatory role on muscle mass and function.
• Molecular Analysis: Advanced techniques will study the muscle microenvironment, focusing on muscle stem cells (MuSCs), fibro-adipogenic progenitors (FAPs), and other cells critical for muscle regeneration and maintenance.
• Mitochondrial Function assessed in vivo via magnetic resonance spectroscopy: The impact of oestrogen on mitochondrial health will be examined, exploring how it preserves mitochondrial function and ability to recovery and resist fatigue in response to muscle contractions.

Our preliminary data indicate that oestrogen can promote muscle protein synthesis. HER-MUSCLE aims to pave the way for novel therapeutic strategies to manage sarcopenia in postmenopausal women, ultimately leading to better health outcomes and enhanced well-being for this growing population segment.

Inclusion criteria

• 1-10 years since last menstrual bleeding
• Age > 40 years old
• BMI 20-30

Exclusion criteria

• Follicular stimulating hormone < 30 mmol/L
• Systematic strength training during the last year (> 1 strength training session per week)
• Injuries to the legs which may prevent participation in the physical training program
• Magnetizable metals or electrical devices implanted in the body, such as a pacemaker
• Use of medication that can influence the effect of immobilization and/or training
• Muscular or joint disorders which may affect the results
• Metabolic diseases (such as diabetes and cardiovascular diseases)
• Previous or present liver or cancer disease
• Current or previous thrombosis
• Porphyria
• Epilepsia
• Systemic autoimmune disease
• Edema
• Smoking or use of other nicotine containing products
• Claustrophobia
• Addictive behavior, defined as abuse of cannabis, opioids, or other intoxicating substances.
• Lack of ability to cooperate
• Blood parameters out of normal range at the health check
• Blood pressure above 140/90 mmHg