Blood Vessel Growth in Muscle Reduces in Postmenopausal Women

In women after menopause, the formation of small blood vessels is impaired in the muscle tissue, stated new research from the University of Copenhagen.

The study's findings highlight the importance of exercise for women before and after menopause to prevent other complications later in life.

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‘In postmenopausal women, blood vessel growth in muscle is reduced.’

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The study has been published in the article "Angiogenic Potential is Reduced in Skeletal Muscle of Aged Women" in the renowned scientific journal 'Journal of Physiology'.

Blood Vessel Growth in Postmenopausal Women

Women after menopause have a reduced ability to form tiny blood vessels, called capillaries, in their muscles, compared to younger women. After an eight-week period of spinning on stationary bikes older women were unable to increase the number of capillaries in skeletal muscle tissue.

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Line Norregaard Olsen, a PhD student at the University of Copenhagen's Department of Nutrition, Exercise and Sports explains that the lack of improvement with regards to new capillary growth is most likely due to the permanent loss of estrogen after menopause:

"The study supports the idea that women benefit from being physically active prior to menopause, while their estrogen levels are high. It provides them with a better physical starting point as they enter menopause - which is important. Even though eight weeks of training of the post-menopausal women has a noteworthy effect on some parameters, it had no effect on capillary formation in muscle. A sufficient number of capillaries in muscle is important for muscle function and reduces the risk of developing type 2 diabetes."

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Facts about the study

Two groups of women participated, 12 women 59-70 years of age (postmenopausal) and five women 21-28 years of age (premenopausal).
A biopsy was taken from their thigh muscle.
The older group trained over eight weeks on spin bikes moderate to high intensity.
Tissue samples taken from the participants' thigh muscles were used to analyze the number of capillaries in their muscles and analyze several muscle-specific proteins.
After 8 weeks of aerobic exercise, in the form of spinning, the postmenopausal women's fitness improved by 15%.

Professor Ylva Hellsten, also of UCPH's Department of Nutrition, Exercise and Sports, and the principal investigator, elaborates on the study's potential implications: "It is important to emphasize that both men and women are greatly served by being physically active throughout life, regardless of their age. But the current study suggests that there are some crucial differences between men and women in the way that the cardiovascular system is affected by aging and physical activity. As a result, this study should lead to an adjustment of the training recommendations for women in this age group."

The study is supported by Independent Research Fund Denmark and the Danish Ministry of Culture's Fund for Sports Research.

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Source-Medindia