Is there a Relationship between HDL Cholesterol and Muscle Mass in Post-Menopausal Women?

Abstract

Menopause coincides with undesirable changes in body composition including increased fat mass and loss of muscle mass (1). One contributing factor to muscle loss is sarcopenia, a low muscle for weight medical condition. These changes are closely linked with enhanced risk for cardiovascular diseases, the top killer of postmenopausal women in the United States. High-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), often called the “good cholesterol”, predicts for protection against cardiovascular disease in women. Mouse studies have shown that higher HDL-C levels are positively correlated with higher lean body mass (2). The relationship of HDL-C levels and muscle mass in overweight, Type 2 diabetic, postmenopausal women at risk for cardiovascular diseases was examined. The results indicated that higher levels of total body fat correlate strongly with increasing trunk fat, however, higher HDL-C levels did not correlate with greater lean body mass.