Strength Training After Menopause: About Muscle, Protein, and Real Strength

TL/DR: Menopause doesn’t end your ability to get strong — consistent strength training builds muscle and function, while “more protein” only helps once the basics are already in place.

Menopause is often described as a turning point - not just hormonally, but physically.

Many women notice that strength feels different than it used to. Carrying heavy bags becomes more tiring. Getting up from the floor requires more effort. There’s a subtle sense that the body no longer responds in the same way, even if nothing dramatic has changed overnight.

This experience is so common that it’s often framed as inevitable. Muscle loss, we’re told, is just part of ageing after menopause.

But a recent scientific study set out to challenge that assumption. Instead of focusing on weight loss or appearance, researchers looked at something far more relevant to everyday life: muscle mass, strength capacity, and physical function in postmenopausal women.

What they found offers clarity - and reassurance - about what really matters after menopause.

Why Muscle and Strength Often Decline After Menopause

During menopause, levels of oestrogen and progesterone decline. These hormones influence many tissues in the body, including muscle and bone.

As hormone levels shift and physical activity decreases, we gradually lose muscle tissue. This process is sometimes referred to as age-related muscle loss. While the term sounds clinical, the effects are very practical. Muscle supports balance, stabilises joints, protects bones, and allows us to move confidently through daily life.

Losing muscle isn’t primarily about aesthetics. It’s about function. Reduced muscle mass and strength are linked to a higher risk of falls, injuries, and loss of independence later in life.

What’s important to understand, however, is that menopause does not switch off the body’s ability to adapt. Muscle loss is common - but it is not unavoidable.

The Question Researchers Wanted to Answer

Advice for women after menopause is everywhere, and often contradictory or confusing. Lift weights. Eat more protein. But be careful not to overdo it. Focus on supplements. But also “real” foods. Rest more. But don’t be lazy.

Much of this guidance is based on assumptions and marketing strategies rather than direct evidence in postmenopausal women.

To address this gap, researchers designed a controlled 12-week study to test a simple but crucial question: What actually improves muscle and strength after menopause - resistance training, protein intake, or both?

How the Study Was Designed

The study followed 55 healthy postmenopausal women, all in their late 50s on average. Importantly, these women were not regularly strength training before the study began.

Participants were divided into four groups. Some followed a structured strength training programme using free weights. Some followed a very high-protein diet. Some combined both approaches. One group made no changes and served as a control.

The strength training groups trained three times per week, performing compound exercises such as squats and deadlifts. These movements closely resemble everyday actions like standing up, lifting objects, or carrying weight.

Over 12 weeks, researchers measured changes in muscle mass, muscle thickness, grip strength, and lower-body strength. The focus was not on how bodies looked, but on how they performed.

The Central Finding: Resistance Training Drives Change

The clearest outcome of the study was also the most consistent.

Women who strength trained gained muscle mass and became significantly stronger.

Across multiple measurements, resistance training led to clear improvements in skeletal muscle mass and strength capacity. These changes were observed whether or not participants followed a high-protein diet.

In contrast, women who did not strength train did not experience improvements in muscle mass or overall body composition.

This makes one thing very clear: resistance training was the main driver of meaningful physical change.

Muscle Can Still Grow After Menopause

One of the most encouraging aspects of this research is what it reveals about the body’s adaptability.

The women in this study were not elite athletes. They were not training every day, nor following extreme programmes. They trained consistently, three times per week, using progressive resistance.

Despite this, they gained muscle mass and strength to a degree comparable to what is often seen in younger, previously untrained individuals.

This directly challenges the idea that menopause prevents muscle growth. The body remains capable of adaptation when it receives the right stimulus.

Strength Improvements That Matter in Real Life

The improvements observed were not abstract. Strength increased in grip strength, squatting, and deadlifting - all of which are indicators of functional capacity.

Grip strength, in particular, is widely used as a marker of overall physical resilience and ageing well. Stronger legs and hips support balance, joint stability, and fall prevention.

In practical terms, this kind of strength supports everyday actions: carrying shopping, climbing stairs, getting up from the floor, and moving with confidence. These are the abilities that determine quality of life as we age.

Where Protein Fits In - and Why Nuance Matters

Protein plays an essential role in muscle health. It provides the amino acids needed to maintain and repair muscle tissue, which is why protein intake is often emphasised in conversations about ageing and muscle loss.

This study, however, highlights an important distinction between muscle mass and strength capacity.

Participants who followed a very high-protein diet without strength training did not gain muscle mass or experience meaningful changes in body composition. This shows that protein alone is not sufficient to build new muscle tissue.

Interestingly, the researchers did observe small improvements in certain strength measures in the protein-only group. These changes were modest, but statistically significant.

This does not mean that protein builds muscle on its own. Rather, it likely reflects improvements in neuromuscular efficiency - in other words, the body becoming better at using the muscle it already has. Strength can improve without increases in muscle size, particularly in previously untrained individuals.

Crucially, these strength improvements were far smaller than those seen in the training groups.

Protein Plus Training: Supportive, Not Additive

When protein intake was combined with resistance training, participants gained muscle and strength - but not significantly more than those who trained without the high-protein diet over the 12-week period.

This is what researchers mean when they say that, for previously untrained individuals, a high-protein diet had “no additive effect” when combined with resistance training.

This does not mean that protein is unimportant. And it does not mean that people who already train regularly will not see additional benefits from higher protein intake. It simply means that, for those new to strength training, once protein intake is sufficient, increasing it further does not amplify results beyond what training alone achieves within a limited timeframe.

This finding challenges the common idea that eating ever-higher amounts of protein is guaranteed to lead to better outcomes. Training provided the primary signal for adaptation; nutrition plays a supportive role. Consuming enough protein matters when strength training, but it does not need to become the primary focus.

Why Free Weights Matter After Menopause

The study specifically used free weight exercises rather than machines, and this choice is significant.

Free weights require balance, coordination, and control. They engage multiple muscle groups at once and closely resemble real-life movements.

Importantly, the study also demonstrated that free weight resistance training was safe for postmenopausal women when properly supervised. Strength training is not something to avoid after menopause - it is one of the most effective tools available for maintaining physical function.

What This Study Does - and Does Not - Claim

This research does not suggest that women need extreme diets, aggressive training, or large amounts of supplements. It does not claim that results happen overnight.

What it does show is that consistent resistance training is a powerful and effective strategy for improving muscle mass and strength after menopause. Protein intake matters, but it does not replace the stimulus that training provides, nor does “more” automatically mean “better”, especially if you’re new to training.

What This Means for Everyday Life

For postmenopausal women wondering where to focus their energy, this study offers clarity.

You do not need to accept physical decline as inevitable. You should not rely on nutrition alone. You do not need to chase extremes.

Regular strength training - even just a few sessions per week - can help preserve muscle, build strength, and support long-term independence. Food should support that goal, not overshadow it.

Strength Is Not Something You Leave Behind

Menopause is often framed as the beginning of loss - of hormones, of strength, of physical capability.

But this study tells a different story.

Strength does not disappear because of menopause. It fades when the body is no longer challenged to use it.

With the right stimulus, muscles can still grow. Strength can still improve. Confidence in the body can still deepen.

This isn’t about reclaiming youth. It’s about investing in a body that can support you - physically and functionally - for decades to come.

Sources

[1] Ioannidou P, Dóró Z, Schalla J, Wätjen W, Diel P, Isenmann E. Analysis of combinatory effects of free weight resistance training and a high-protein diet on body composition and strength capacity in postmenopausal women - A 12-week randomized controlled trial. J Nutr Health Aging. 2024 Oct;28(10):100349.