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Estrogen and Menopause: Muscle Damage, Repair and Function in Females

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Sex Hormones, Exercise and Women

Abstract

Menopause is accompanied by a sharp decline in estrogen levels. Estrogen has many positive effects on skeletal muscle including, protection against exercise induced damage, attenuation of post-damage inflammation, enhancement of post-damage muscle repair, enhancement of post-atrophy recovery of muscle mass, improved maintenance and enhancement of postmenopausal muscle mass and strength and improved muscle hypertrophic response to exercise. These along with enhancement of other well-known metabolic and bone mass maintenance effects of estrogen can have profound influence on the health and functional abilities of postmenopausal females. Experimental evidence for these effects derived from animal and human models is discussed. In addition, the physiological and cellular signaling mechanisms of how estrogen may influence muscle damage, inflammation, repair and mass as gleaned from both animal and human based experiments are also noted. Finally evidence for the safety of estrogen replacement in postmenopausal women is discussed based on newer epidemiological and health data as well as experimental animal models and the case is made for the benefits of hormone replacement in menopause for maintenance of optimal muscle functioning in older women.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Applied Health Sciences, Brock University, 1812 Sir Isaac Brock Way, St. Catharines, ON, Canada, L2S3A1

    Peter M. Tiidus B.Sc., M.Sc., Ph.D.

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  1. Peter M. Tiidus B.Sc., M.Sc., Ph.D.
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Correspondence to Peter M. Tiidus B.Sc., M.Sc., Ph.D. .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Nutrition, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA

    Anthony C. Hackney

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Tiidus, P.M. (2017). Estrogen and Menopause: Muscle Damage, Repair and Function in Females. In: Hackney, A. (eds) Sex Hormones, Exercise and Women. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-44558-8_5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-44558-8_5

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