A simple grip strength test could predict whether women will develop diabetes after going through menopause.
Korean researchers found an association after analyzing data collected from more than 4,000 postmenopausal women between 45 and 65 years old.
The five-year study found that the weaker a woman’s grip, which is used as a recognized measure of muscle strength, the more likely she was to develop type 2 diabetes.
This correlation was even more extreme in women who had been postmenopausal for more than ten years.
Type 2 diabetes occurs when the body does not produce enough insulin, a hormone that helps cells absorb sugar from the bloodstream to transform it into energy.
It can cause blindness, foot amputation and heart disease. Low muscle strength is also linked to insulin resistance and poor glucose regulation, both precursors to diabetes.
“The results of this study showed that postmenopausal women with high muscle strength were less likely to have diabetes,” says Dr. Stephanie Faubion, medical director of The Menopause Society.
“It highlights the known benefits of maintaining muscle mass, a critical marker for predicting health status.”
Korean researchers found an association after analyzing data collected from more than 4,000 postmenopausal women aged 45 to 65 (file image)
A simple grip strength test could predict whether women will develop diabetes after going through menopause (File Image)
The researchers hope that their findings, taken from the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, will enable early diagnosis for menopausal women by providing another symptom to watch out for.
Almost one in three people over the age of 65 have diabetes, and more than two million women suffer from the condition in the UK.
Decreased estrogen levels during menopause can contribute to insulin resistance, increased fat distribution around the abdomen, and decreased lean mass, leaving postmenopausal women at greater risk of developing diabetes.