Oestrogen and sex influence on muscle damage and inflammation: evidence from animal models

Recent evidence suggests that oestrogen and sex may influence the degree of disruption and post-damage inflammatory response seen in skeletal muscle. Evidence primarily from animal models suggests that oestrogen may be able to attenuate muscle disruption and attenuate or delay muscle leukocyte infiltration after contraction-induced and ischaemia-reperfusion-induced damage. Several potential mechanisms for this effect are discussed, along with the potential for oestrogen to influence the ultimate rate of skeletal muscle recovery from damage. Curr Opin Clin Nutr Metab Care 4:509-513. (C) 2001 Lippincott Williams Wilkins.