Postmenopausal women with higher TSH values within the normal range present improved handgrip strength: a pilot study

Figures & data

Table 1. Studied parameters of postmenopausal women (n = 96) with normal thyroid function.

	Mean ± SD	Minimum	Maximum
Anthropometric parameters
Age (years)	57.2 ± 7.8	35.0	90.0
Years since menopause (years)	7.8 ± 6.6	1.0	28.0
Systolic blood pressure (mmHg)	117.0 ± 20.3	130.0	160.0
Diastolic blood pressure (mmHg)	72.9 ± 9.5	50.0	100.0
Weight (kg)	71.3 ± 13.6	49.0	122.0
Body mass index (kg/m^2)	28.0 ± 5.7	18.6	50.7
Current smoking (%)	24%
Physical activity
Sedentary lifestyle (%)	16.1%
Moderate activity (%)	56.3%
Intense activity (%)	27.6%
Metabolic equivalent of task min/week	722.5 ± 675	50	3558
Biochemical/hormonal parameters
Cholesterol (mg/dL)	212.8 ± 32.8	137.0	304.0
Triglycerides (mg/dL)	94.4 ± 33.5	41.4	182.0
HDL-C (mg/dL)	66.1 ± 14.8	41.0	107.9
LDL-C (mg/dL)	131.7 ± 29.3	67.0	192.9
Glucose (mg/dL)	93.5 ± 10.4	73.0	132.0
HOMA-IR	1.8 ± 1.1	0.4	5.3
Vitamin D (ng/dL)	23.9 ± 14.2	9.1	56.3
Thyroid-stimulating hormone (mU/L)	1.4 ± 0.8	0.4	3.9
Free thyroxine (ng/dL)	1.1 ± 0.1	0.7	1.51
Free triiodothyronine (pg/mL)	2.9 ± 0.6	0.9	4.0
Body composition
% of body fat	46.6 ± 6.1	34.0	60.9
Lean mass (Kg)	34.4 ± 3.9	22.2	42.5
Bone densitometry (total body)
Bone mineral density (g/cm^2)	1.1 ± 0.1	0.9	1.3
Bone mineral content (g)	2.3 ± 0.3	1.8	3.1
T-score	−0.1 ± 0.9	−2.2	2.1
Z-score	1.03 ± 0.9	−1.3	3.6
Musculoskeletal assessment
Hand-grip strength (kg)	19.9 ± 4.7	9.5	31.7
Dynapenia	16 (16.7)
Mid-upper arm circumference (cm)	31.2 ± 5.4	21.0	52.0
Triceps skinfold (cm)	29.7 ± 8.8	12.0	52.0

Data are presented as mean ± standard deviation, minimum-maximum values, and frequency n (%).

HDL-C: high density lipoprotein cholesterol; LDL-C: low density lipoprotein cholesterol; HOMA-IR: homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance

Table 2. Correlation analysis between values of handgrip strength, thyroid function, and body composition.

	Thyroid stimulating hormone
	r-Coefficient	p Value
Anthropometric/demographic parameters
Age (years)	−0.094	.362
Years since menopause (years)	0.001	.989
Body mass index (kg/m^2)	0.052	.613
Systolic blood pressure (mmHg)	−0.063	.567
Diastolic blood pressure (mmHg)	−0.141	.194
Biochemical/hormonal parameters
Cholesterol (mg/dL)	0.048	.652
Triglycerides (mg/dL)	−0.009	.930
HDL-C (mg/dL)	0.128	.228
LDL-C (mg/dL)	−0.021	.844
Glucose (mg/dL)	−0.042	.690
HOMA-IR	0.089	.685
Vitamin D (ng/dL)	0.009	.929
Musculoskeletal assessment
Handgrip strength (kg)	0.233	.025
Mid upper arm circumference (cm)	0.073	.535
Triceps skin fold (cm)	−0.068	.557
Body composition
Lean mass (kg)	−0.047	.677
% of body fat	−0.052	.645
Bone densitometry (total body)
BMD (g/cm^2)	−0.178	.109
BMC (g)	0.043	.701
T-score	0.321	.003
Z-score	−0.122	.278

BMD: bone mass density; BMC: bone mineral content; HDL-C: high density lipoprotein cholesterol; LDL-C: low density lipoprotein cholesterol; HOMA-IR: homeostasis model assessment for insulin resistance

Bold p values indicate statistical significance, which was set at the level of <.05.

Figure 1. Thyroid stimulating hormone levels in women with low vs. normal muscle strength. Low muscle strength is defined as a HGS < 16 kg. Error bars represent standard deviation.

Figure 2. Bone and body composition parameters according to muscle strength are presented as univariate analysis of variance (ANOVA) or co-variance (ANCOVA, adjusting for age, height, current smoking, physical activity, LDL-C, vitamin D, and insulin resistance). Low muscle strength is defined as a HGS < 16 kg. Error bars represent standard deviation. ANOVA: analysis of variance; ANCOVA: analysis of co-variance; HOMA-IR: homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance; LDL-C: low-density lipoprotein cholesterol; HGS: handgrip strength. Statistical significance was set at the level of p value < .05.

Table 3. Linear multivariable regression analysis models which included musculoskeletal or body composition parameters or bone densitometry as dependent variables.

	Independent variable: TSH continuous
Dependent variables	β-coefficient	p Value
^aMusculoskeletal parameters
Handgrip strength (kg)	0.246	.014
Mid upper arm circumference (cm)	−0.012	.921
Triceps skin fold (cm)	−0.070	.412
^bBody composition parameters
Lean mass (kg)	0.254	.383
% of body fat	−0.030	.912
^cBone densitometry (total body)
Bone mineral density (g/cm^2)	−0.152	.604
Bone mineral content (g)	−0.125	.623
T-score	0.306	.002
Z-score	−0.168	.544

Thyroid stimulating hormone was included in all models as the independent variable, adjusted for various confounding factors. In particular model 1 and 3 were adjusted for age, LDL-C, current smoking, physical activity, vitamin D, and homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance, body mass index; model 2 was adjusted for age, LDL-C, current smoking, physical activity, height, vitamin D. and HOMA-IR.

^{a ,c}Models were adjusted for age, LDL-C, current smoking, physical activity, vitamin D, and homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance, body mass index.

^b Models were adjusted for age, LDL-C, current smoking, physical activity, height, vitamin D, and HOMA-IR.

Bold p values indicate statistical significance which was set at the level of <.05.

Greendale GA, Han W, Finkelstein JS, et al. Changes in regional fat distribution and anthropometric measures Across the menopause transition. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2021;106(9):2520–8. doi: 10.1210/clinem/dgab389.

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Data availability statement

The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author, [IL], upon reasonable request.