Jennifer Aniston's fitness regime ‘effective' for women during menopause
Jennifer Aniston's favoured fitness regime is 'effective at improving strength and balance in women during and post-menopause', according to a new study.
Academics from the University of Exeter set out to examine whether Pvolve – an at-home low-impact resistance exercise programme – could improve strength, balance, and body composition.
They also wanted to assess whether any improvements were affected by menopause status.
The 55-year-old actress started the Pvolve exercise programme at home in 2021 and then joined the company in 2023.
The new study, published in the journal Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, compared moderately active women aged 40 to 60.
Seventy women, who were not taking hormone replacement therapy (HRT), in the South West of England took part in the study.
They were split into two groups, with 45 signed up to Pvolve for 12 weeks and 25 asked to do 150 minutes of moderate exercise per week.
Various measurements to test strength and fitness were taken before training started and again at the end of the 12-week period.
The study, which was funded by Pvolve, found that those who participated in the exercise regime saw a 19% increase in hip function and lower body strength compared with those in the standard exercise programme.
Lower body flexibility improved by 21% in the Pvolve group, compared with the group who took part in standard exercise.
They also saw a 10% increase in balance and stability.
The training programme and usual exercise both appeared to have the same beneficial effect on shoulder strength, the authors found.
Women taking part in the Pvolve programme also saw an increase in lean muscle without increasing total body mass.
The improvements were comparable among women who were pre-, peri-, and post-menopausal.
Women undergo tremendous physical change during the menopause transition, and this research shows that the Pvolve method can serve as an intervention, helping women to live better and feel better throughout their lives
Julie Cartwright, Pvolve
Changes in the body during the menopause are thought to accelerate age-related decline in muscle mass, strength, and stability, the researchers said.
'This is the first study to demonstrate that the decline in sex hormones, and increase in age, across the menopause transition does not affect the ability of lower limb (hip) strength and balance to adapt to a low-impact resistance exercise training program in females not taking HRT,' the authors concluded.
Professor Francis Stephens, from the University of Exeter Medical School, who led the research said : 'Women often see a decline in their muscle strength and balance shortly before, during and after the menopause.
'This ultimately increases the risk of falls and fractures later in life, particularly of the hip, which is why it's so important to find a way for women to maintain that strength and balance as they get older.
The great thing about these simple resistance exercises is they can easily be performed at home, and we've now shown they're effective at improving strength and balance in women during and post-menopause
Professor Francis Stephens, University of Exeter Medical School
'The great thing about these simple resistance exercises is they can easily be performed at home, and we've now shown they're effective at improving strength and balance in women during and post-menopause.
'In fact, some measures of balance appeared to increase to a greater degree in post-menopausal women, suggesting that these exercises are not hindered by the menopause transition.'
Pvolve president Julie Cartwright said: 'Women undergo tremendous physical change during the menopause transition, and this research shows that the Pvolve method can serve as an intervention, helping women to live better and feel better throughout their lives.'
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