Table 3 Handgrip strength (kg) in men ( n = 30) by success of short-term (“ONE MONTH”) and long-term (“SIX MONTHS”) withdrawal

short-term withdrawers (n = 24)

42.9,

44.9*,

44.6*,

44.6*,

44.5*,

44.5*,

44.2*,

0.296

0.619

0.002

6.5

5.7

6.6

5.5

6.5

5.2

6.0

short-term non-withdrawers (n = 6)

40.3,

44.0*,

42.8*,

41.5*,

41.9*,

43.6*,

43.9*,

5.8

7.0

6.2

6.0

6.6

7.7

8.4

SIX MONTHS (long-term withdrawal)

Measurement point

Baseline

1 week

2 weeks

3 weeks

1 month

2 months

6 months

mean, SD

mean, SD

mean, SD

mean, SD

mean, SD

mean, SD

mean, SD

P ¹

P ²

P ³

long-term withdrawers (n = 15)

41.5,

43.5^§,

43.7^§,

43.7^§,

43.7^§,

44.4^§,

43.9^§,

0.357

0.897

0.002

5.6

5.5

5.4

5.2

6.3

4.5

5.5

long-term non-withdrawers (n = 15)

43.3,

46.0^§,

45.0^§,

44.6^§,

44.2^§,

44.2^§,

44.3^§,

7.1

6.1

7.5

6.1

6.9

6.8

7.4