The purpose of this article is to review aspects of skeletal muscle dysfunction and body composition in hyperthyroidism. Hyperthyroidism is associated with general muscle weakness, which is part of the initial clinical manifestation of about 80% of patients, compromising their daily activities and quality of life. A factor that contributes for strength reduction is muscle atrophy, which usually tends to affect proximal muscle groups. In addition, hyperthyroidism is accompanied by weight loss due to consumption of muscle mass and adipose tissue. Studies have demonstrated that medical treatment is able to promote recovery of strength and slowly, endurance, defined as the capacity to sustain sub-maximal loads for prolonged periods, and that resistance training associated with medical treatment leads to a major gain of muscular strength and resistance in those patients. Although a standard body composition during weight recovery after treatment is not established, patients submitted to strength training show weight recovery associated mainly with muscle mass gain.
Hyperthyroidism; Skeletal muscle function; Body composition
