Relationship between Muscle Mass/Strength and Hepatic Fat Content in Post-Menopausal Women

• Main Authors: Yajie Zhang, Dajiang Lu, Renwei Wang, Weijie Fu, Shengnian Zhang
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2019-09-01
• Series: Medicina
• Subjects: grip strength; knee extensors; sarcopenia; middle-aged women
• Online Access: https://www.mdpi.com/1010-660X/55/10/629

<i>Background and Objectives</i>: Recent studies have shown that low skeletal muscle mass can contribute to non-alcoholic fatty liver disease through insulin resistance. However, the association between muscle mass/strength and hepatic fat content remains unclear in postmenopausal women. <i>Methods</i>: In this study, we assessed the associations between muscle mass/strength and various severities of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Using single-voxel proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy, 96 postmenopausal women between the ages of 50 and 65 were divided into four groups (G0&#8722;G3) by hepatic fat content: G0 (hepatic fat content &lt;5%, <i>n</i> = 20), G1 (5% &#8804; hepatic fat content &lt; 10%, <i>n</i> = 27), G2 (10% &#8804; hepatic fat content &lt; 25%, <i>n</i> = 31), and G3 (hepatic fat content &#8805;25%, <i>n</i> = 18). Muscle mass indexes were estimated as skeletal muscle index (SMI)% (total lean mass/weight &#215; 100) and appendicular skeletal muscular mass index (ASM)% (appendicular lean mass/weight &#215; 100) by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry. Maximal isometric voluntary contraction of the handgrip, elbow flexors, and knee extensors was measured using an adjustable dynamometer chair. Fasting plasma glucose, insulin, and follicle-stimulating hormones were assessed in venous blood samples. <i>Results</i>: The results showed negative correlations between hepatic fat content and SMI% (r = &#8722;0.42, <i>p</i> &lt; 0.001), ASM% (r = &#8722;0.29, <i>p</i> = 0.005), maximal voluntary force of grip (r = &#8722;0.22, <i>p</i> = 0.037), and knee extensors (r = &#8722;0.22, <i>p</i> = 0.032). <i>Conclusions</i>: These significant correlations almost remained unchanged even after controlling for insulin resistance. In conclusion, negative correlations exist between muscle mass/strength and the progressed severity of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease among post-menopausal women, and the correlations are independent of insulin resistance.