Maintain muscle protein diet in women after menopause

Muscle loss in this stage affect daily activities of women 

postmenopausal women who are dieting and want to avoid losing muscle mass should watch this discovery, made by researchers at the University of Illinois, United States. Add protein diet throughout the day not only helps mitigate hunger but also keeps the proportional body composition - which is the amount of fat compared to muscles.

The main reason for the study is that women who come into the diet at this stage of life are more likely to lose muscle, and this can affect balance, strength and the way to perform everyday activities such as climbing stairs and rising from a chair.

At six months of the study, 31 women with postmenopausal obesity were divided into two groups. Both followed a diet of 1400 calories, based on the USDA food pyramid. The difference was one group received the protein supplement whey (also known as whey protein) in the morning and afternoon or evening, while the other received a placebo with carbohydrates.

Both groups were encouraged to start gentle exercise (such as walking and stretching) and underwent a dietary reeducation. Before and after the study, some participants were assessed skills such as strength, balance and the ability to perform physical tasks as walking 15 meters, up five times from a chair and lifting a book 12 inches above shoulder height.

Magnetic resonance imaging was used at the beginning and end of the study to measure the volume of the right thigh muscle, the amount of fat around the thigh and the amount of fat in the muscle of the thigh.

In both groups, the force decreases as the reduction of weight. However, the study suggests that an increase in amount of muscle in relation to fat had beneficial effects on balance and overall performance.

According to experts, the high protein intake during weight loss can offset negative effects on muscle mass, aiding in its maintenance. Women who ate more protein lost 3.9% more weight and had a relative gain of thigh muscles by 5.8% higher than those who did not eat much protein. Although weight loss in these women have a negative effect on the strength, the researchers believe that reducing helped other aspects of physical function. The scholars also state that there is a chance that more vigorous exercise, such as resistance training, can preserve even more muscle.

Healthy habits in menopause 

To relieve symptoms and ensure quality of life at this stage, you may invest in the following habits, cited by nutritionist Cristina Correa:

-Increase Soy consumption: Scientists began to be more interested by the potential of soybeans after demographic studies revealed that only 9% of women living in Asia, where the diet is rich in soy, felt hot flashes during menopause compared the 80/90% of Western women who suffer from menopause.


-Reduce Consumption of sugar, salt and sweets

- Exercising: Sedentary women are more likely to have hot flashes than women who exercise. In one experiment, menopausal symptoms were reduced immediately after aerobic exercise;

- Stop smoking: Preliminary studies show that smoking cigarettes can be largely related to hot flushes in women who are going through menopause;

- Focus on a nutritious diet, particularly rich in fruits, vegetables and fresh organic vegetables;

- Limit consumption of red meat to one or two servings per week;

- Increase consumption of fish, especially salmon and tuna at least 2x a week;

- Limit fat intake to 30% of total calories consumed daily;

- Drink plenty of fluids, at least eight glasses a day, preferably filtered water;

-Diminua Coffee consumption, limiting consumption to two small cups a day.