HRT Improves Muscle Function

The debate about possible perils of hormone replacement therapy is not over, but at least one benefit of the therapy emerged in a recent study at Uppsala University in Sweden. EurekaAlert reports that the study — the first to explore the effects of HRT at cellular and molecular levels–performed muscle biopsies on pairs of postmenopausal identical twins – of whom only one was receiving HRT.  The researchers found that even though the size of muscle fibers didn’t change, the muscles of HRT users showed greater strength compared to non-HRT users. They also note that HRT is also associated with a more efficient organization of myonuclei, essential components for muscle fibre function. In HRT users, the different myonuclei arrangement optimizes cellular level protein transport that leads to improved muscle function. Yes, it means you have more strength.