Resistance Training Improves Muscle Function and Body Composition in Patients With Hyperthyroidism

Bousquet-Santos K, Vaisman M, Barreto ND, Cruz-Filho RA, Salvador BA, Frontera WR, Nobrega AC. Resistance training improves muscle function and body composition in patients with hyperthyroidism. Objective To evaluate the effect of resistance training on skeletal muscle performance and body composition in patients with medically treated hyperthyroidism. Design Nonrandomized controlled trial. Setting Large public tertiary hospital. Participants Sixteen sedentary patients with recent clinical diagnosis and laboratory confirmation of hyperthyroidism (7 men, 9 women; age, 38±11y; weight, 58.4±2.6kg; height, 1.6±0.3m) were assigned to the control group (medical therapy; n=9) or training group (medical therapy associated with resistance training; n=7). An age- and sex-matched healthy group served as controls (3 men, 5 women; age, 40±3y; weight, 68.4±4.3kg; height, 1.6±0.3m). Intervention Resistance training twice a week for 16 weeks. Main Outcome Measures Peak muscular strength (by dynamometry and 1 repetition maximum method) and endurance (30% of peak force) for 7 movements and anthropometric measurements. Results The hyperthyroid patients as a group had lower baseline overall strength values when compared with healthy subjects (200.3±16.0kg vs 274.9±21.8kg, respectively; P=.006). Overall absolute increases in strength (49kg vs 91kg, P<.05) and endurance (78.5×102kg/s vs 176.9×102kg/s, P<.05) were higher in the training group compared with the control group. Body weight increased in both groups, but the sum of muscular circumference increased only in the training group (training group, 92.6±3.3cm vs 97.1±3.8cm; control group, 94.6±2.2cm vs 94.4±2.1cm; P<.05), with no change in the sum of skinfolds. Conclusions Resistance training accelerates the recovery of skeletal muscle function and promotes weight gain based on muscle mass improvement in patients with medically treated hyperthyroidism.