Table 1.
Characteristics of RCTs implementing a physical activity program in postmenopausal women
| Study | Participant characteristics | Intervention characteristics | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| N | Age (y), mean (SD) or range of groups | Inclusion criteria | Activity | Frequency, d/wk | Intensity | Duration, min | Length | Co-intervention/ control group | Hormone(s) studied | |
| Aerobic exercise | ||||||||||
| Campbell et al.54 (2012) USA | 439 from the “New” RCT | PA: 58 (5) Diet + PA: 58 (5) Diet: 58 (6) C: 57 (4) |
Healthy, BMI > 25, < 100 min/wk PA PMWs, aged 50-75 y | Supervised + at-home aerobic exercise (n = 117) | 5 (3 onsite, 2 at home) | Moderate- to-vigorous: 70%–85% HRMax or 4+ METS | ≥ 45 | 12 mo | Diet + PA (n = 117) Diet: caloric restriction (n = 118) C: MUA (n = 87) |
Androstenedione SHBG Testosterone (free, total) |
| Friedenreich et al.56 (2010) Canada | 320 | PA: 61 (5) C: 60 (5) |
Healthy, BMI 22-40 <120 min/wk PA, PMWs aged 50-74 y |
Supervised + at-home aerobic exercise (n = 160) | 5 (3 onsite, 2 at home) | 70%–80% HRR | ≥ 45 | 12 mo | C: MUA (n = 160) | Androstenedione SHBG Testosterone (free, total) |
| Friedenreich et al.55 (2015) Canada | 400 from the "BETA" trial | Moderate: 60 (5) High: 59 (5) |
Healthy, BMI 22-40, <120 min/wk PA, PMWs aged 50-74 y | Supervised + at-home aerobic exercise | 5 (3 onsite, 2 at home) | 60%–80% HRR |
Moderate group: 30 (n = 200) High group: 60 (n = 200) |
12 mo | No C | SHBG |
| Kim & Kim58 (2012) South Korea | 30 | Total: 55 (3) | Healthy, BF > 32%, < 40 min/wk PA, PMWs | Supervised aerobic dance (n = 15) | 3 | 55%–80% HRmax |
60 | 16 wk | C: MUA (n = 15) | SHBG |
| McTiernan et al.59 (2004) USA | 173 | PA: 61 (7) C: 61 (7) |
Healthy, BMI ≥ 24, < 60 min/wk PA, PMWs aged 50-79 y | Supervised + at-home aerobic exercise (n = 87) | 5 | 60%–75% HRmax |
45 | 12 mo | C: stretching exercises (1x/wk for 45 min) (n = 86) |
Androstenedione DHEA DHEA-S Testosterone (free, total) |
| Yoo et al.67 (2010) South Korea | 21 | PA: 70 (2) C: 71 (2) |
Healthy PMWs, aged > 65 y | Supervised walking with ankle weights (1 kg) (n = 11) | 3 | 60% HRR | 60 | 12 wk | C: MUA (n = 10) | Testosterone (total) |
| Resistance training | ||||||||||
| Copeland et al.66 (2004) Canada | 16 | PA: 53 (5) C: 54 (6) |
Healthy, sedentary PMWs aged > 50 y | Supervised resistance training (n = 8) | 3 | 10RM | NR | 12 wk | C: unsupervised flexibility exercises 3 d/wk (n = 8) | DHEA Testosterone (total) |
| Figueroa et al.53 (2003) USA | 74 | PA: 57 (1) C: 57 (1) |
Healthy, sedentary PMWs aged 40-65 y | Supervised resistance training (n = 24) | 3 | 70%–80 % 1RM |
60–75 | 12 mo | C: MUA (n = 28) | Androstenedione |
| Nunes et al.61 (2019) Brazil | 34 | Low: 64 (NR) High: 60 (NR) C: 59 (NR) |
Healthy, sedentary PMWs aged 49-79 y | Resistance training: Low-volume (3 sets) (n = 10); high-volume (6 sets) (n = 12) |
3 | 70% 1RM | Low-volume: ∼45 High-volume: ∼90 |
16 wk | C: stretching exercises 2x/wk (n = 12) | DHEA-S Testosterone (total) |
| Orsatti et al.62 (2008) Brazil | 43 | PA: 58 (8) C: 59 (6) |
Healthy, sedentary PMWs aged 45-70 y | Supervised resistance training (n = 22) | 3 | 60%–80% 1RM | 50–60 | 16 wk | C: MUA (n = 21) | Total testosterone |
| Son et al.63 (2020) South Korea | 20 | PA: 68 (1) C: 67 (1) |
Healthy, sedentary, Stage 1 HTN PMWs | Supervised resistance band training (n = 10) | 3 | Increased progressively: 40%–50% to 60%–80% 1RM | 60 | 12 wk | C: supervised sedentary activities (n = 10) | DHEA-S |
| Ward et al.65 (2020) Sweden | 55 | PA: 58 (5) C: 55 (5) |
Healthy, sedentary (< 75 min/wk MVPA) PMWs with vasomotor symptoms | Supervised and at-home resistance training (n = 26) | 3 | 8RM | NR | 15wk | C: remain sedentary (n = 29) | Testosterone SHBG |
| Combined aerobic and resistance training | ||||||||||
| Gonzalo-Encabo et al.57 (2020) Spain | 35 | Median Endurance: 56 Concurrent:58 C: 57 |
Healthy, BMI > 25, < 150 min/wk PA, PMWs aged 50-65 y | Supervised endurance (n = 10) or endurance + resistance (n = 13) training | 3 | Endurance: 55%–75% HRR Resistance: 65% 1RM |
Endurance: 60 of aerobic Concurrent: 20 aerobic + resistance exercises |
12 wk | C: MUA (n = 12) | DHEA-S Testosterone (free, total) SHBG |
| Monninkhof et al.60 (2009) The Netherlands | 189 from the "SHAPE" study | PA: 59 (5) C: 58 (4) |
Healthy, BMI > 22, < 120 min/wk PA, PMWs aged 50-69 y | Supervised or at-home aerobic + resistance training (n = 96) | Supervised: 2 At home: 1 |
MVPA | Supervised: 60 At home: 30 |
12 mo | C: MUA (n = 93) | Androstenedione SHBG Testosterone (free, total) |
| van Gemert et al.64 (2015) The Netherlands | 243 from the "SHAPE-2" trial | PA: 59 (4) Diet: 60 (5) C: 60 (5) |
Healthy, < 120 min/wk PA, BMI 25-35, PMWs aged 50-69 y | Supervised resistance + endurance training sessions, Nordic walking (n = 98) | 2 combined resistance + endurance training, 2 Nordic walking |
Target HRR increased progressively. Resistance: 1RM Endurance: 60%–90% HRR Nordic: 60%–65% HRR |
60 | 16 wk | Diet only: restriction to 3500 kcal/wk + nutrition education group sessions (5x total, 1 h) (n = 97) C: complete food diaries and usual activities (n = 48) |
Androstenedione SHBG Testosterone (free, total) |
BETA, Breast Cancer and Exercise Trial in Alberta; BF, body fat; BMI, body mass index; C, control; DHEA, dehydroepiandrosterone; DHEA-S, dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate; HRmax, heart rate maximum; HRR, heart rate reserve; HTN, hypertension; METS, metabolic equivalents of task; MUA, maintain usual activities; MVPA, moderate-to-vigorous physical activity; NR, not reported; PA, physical activity; PMW, postmenopausal women; RCT, randomized controlled trials; RM, repetition maximum; SD, standard deviation; SHAPE, Sex Hormones and Physical Exercise; SHBG, sex hormone–binding globulin.