Association between myostatin serum concentration and body fat level in peri- and postmenopausal women

Abstract

Introduction Every year over 25 million women worldwide experience menopause symptoms. Menopause lead to the occurrence and intensification of many psychological and somatic disorders including body composition change. Myostatin may play a crucial role in the remodelling of muscle and fat tissue. The aim of the study was to determine the relationship between the level of body fat and the concentration of myostatin protein in serum of peri- or postmenopausal women. Material and methods The study included 300 Caucasian women (in perimenopause or postmenopause). Detail data were collected at a single time point from all enrolled women. The data included: age, body mass index, hormone replacement therapy and body fat. Measurements of adipose tissue were performed using electronic skinfold calipers. Serum levels of myostatin were determined using Human Myostatin ELISA Kit. Results The average myostatin concentration in blood serum was 6.58±3.59 ng/ml. The average percentage of body fat was 32.7±6.3 (range: 16.1 to 50.7). The percentages of women in particular groups of the body fat level (I, II, III, IV and V) amounted to 1.7%, 11%, 35.3%, 30.7% and 21.3% respectively. Myostatin level in blood serum was significantly decreased (median concentrations: 5.5 vs 7.0 ng/ml, p=0.0269) in subjects with higher body fat (groups IV and V) compared to the ones classified as having normal or low level of body fat (groups I-III). Myostatin was independent predictive factor of the occurrence of high body fat (p=0.0463). Conclusions Decreased level of myostatin is related to higher level of body fat in peri- and postmenopausal women

Keywords

• menopause
• biological markers
• adipose tissue