Women 80+ with hormone therapy history had 14.3% stronger grip

Women who had used menopausal hormone therapy showed stronger grip later in life than never-users, with the gap growing from 2.5% at ages 60-64 to 14.3% among women 80 and older. Grip strength is used as a practical marker of overall strength and physical function, but the finding links therapy history with preserved strength rather than proving it caused the difference.

Among women 65 and older, the association remained across activity levels: users with intermediate moderate-intensity activity had 16% greater grip strength, while even the most sedentary users had a 14% advantage. Additional context emphasized resistance and high-impact training around menopause for bone health alongside strength preservation.