To establish whether muscle weakness in thyroid dysfunction can be attributed solely to muscle atrophy (i.e. reduction in the total muscle cross-section) or whether the intrinsic contractile strength of the muscle is reduced per unit cross-sectional area, the ratio between thigh muscle strength and thigh muscle area was determined before and after treatment of hyper- and hypothyroidism. Midthigh muscle areas, assessed by computer tomography, increased in all seven hyperthyroid and decreased in three of four hypothyroid patients investigated after treatment of the thyroid disease. Peak torque and total work output, assessed by an isokinetic dynamometer (Cybex II), increased in both groups of patients. The muscle efficiency (total work output per cm2 muscle) increased in all patients after therapy [mean +/- SD values before vs. after therapy in hyperthyroid patients, 17.6 +/- 5.3 vs. 30.5 +/- 3.7 joules (J)/cm2 (P less than 0.001); in hypothyroid patients, 12.8 +/- 6.1 J/cm2 vs. 25.8 +/- 8.6 J/cm2 (P less than 0.05)]. Thus, the present study demonstrates that patients with thyroid dysfunction have altered muscle mass and diminished muscle efficiency.