Women with stronger grip after going through menopause are ‘less likely to get diabetes’, study finds

A simple test of grip strength could be able to predict whether women will develop diabetes after going through the menopause.

Korean researchers found an association after analysing data collected from more than 4,000 postmenopausal women aged 45 to 65.

The five-year study found the weaker a woman’s grip – which is used as a recognised measure of muscle strength – the more likely they were 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 fails to produce enough insulin – a hormone that helps cells absorb sugar from the bloodstream to transform into energy.

It can lead to blindness, foot amputation and heart disease. Low muscle strength is also linked to insulin resistance and poor glucose regulation – both diabetes precursors.

‘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 for The Menopause Society. 

‘It highlights the known benefits of maintaining muscle mass – a critical marker for prediction of health status.’

A simple test of grip strength could be able to predict whether women will develop diabetes after going through the menopause (Stock Image) 

Researchers hope their findings – taken from the Korean National Health And Nutrition Examination Survey – will permit early diagnosis for menopausal women by providing another symptom to look out for.

Nearly one in three people aged over 65 years have diabetes – with more than two million women suffering from the condition in the UK.

Declining oestrogen levels during menopause can contribute to insulin resistance, increased fat distribution around the abdomen and a decrease in lean mass – leaving postmenopausal women at an increased risk of developing diabetes.