The menopausal transition, or perimenopause, is characterized by menstrual irregularities, vasomotor symptoms, sleep disturbances, mood symptoms, and urogenital tract atrophy. These changes can also affect the quality of life and one’s self-esteem. Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is considered the best option to achieve therapeutic relief of different menopausal symptoms but is usually restricted to moderate or severe symptoms. Moreover, many women refuse HRT for a variety of reasons concerning the fear of cancer and other adverse effects. According to these considerations, new topics are emerging: Dissatisfaction with drug costs and conventional healthcare, desire for personalized medicines, and the public perception that “natural is good”. In this context, nonhormonal therapies are mostly evolving, and it is not unusual that women often request a “natural” approach for their symptoms. The aim of this study is to investigate nonhormonal therapies that have been identified to reduce the menopausal symptoms.

https://www.mdpi.com/1648-9144/55/9/544/pdf

A Nutraceutical Approach to Menopausal Complaints

Background: Many randomized controlled trials (RCTs) have assessed the effects of soy products on serum lipids. However, the responsible soy components and the magnitude of effects in healthy or hy...

The effects of isolated soy protein, isolated soy isoflavones and soy protein containing isoflavones on serum lipids in postmenopausal women: A systematic review and meta-analysis

An updated systematic review on the effects of aerobic exercise on human blood lipid profile.

Purpose: To evaluate the effect of walking-training on the balance between pro- and anti-angiogenic signals and on the angiogenic potential in postmenopausal women. Materials and Methods: Thirty-four postmenopausal women (56.18 ± 4.24 yr) participated in a 13 weeks program of walking-training. Anthropometric measures, VEGF, IL-1α, IL-1s, IL-2, IL-8, IL-10, IL-12p70, TNF-α, C-reactive protein, insulin, IGF-1, cortisol, DHEA-S, leptin, visfatin, resistin and adiponectin were evaluated before and after training. Moreover, serum samples were tested for their ability to chemo – attract endothelial cells and to support the in vitro formation of capillary – like structures. Results: After training, the levels of IL-8, TNF-α, leptin and resistin were significantly lower, levels of DHEA-S and adiponectin increased, serum angiogenic properties improved, whereas no changes in anthropometric parameters or VEGF were detected. Conclusions: Walking training reduces inflammatory status and leads to a significant improvement in serum angiogenic properties in the absence of modifications in body composition and VEGF level.

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Aerobic Training Improves Angiogenic Potential Independently of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Modifications in Postmenopausal Women.

Background: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) affects 5–20% of women of reproductive age worldwide and is associated with disorders of glucose metabolism. Hormone and metabolic signaling may be influenced by phytoestrogens, such as isoflavones. Their endocrine effects may modify symptom penetrance in PCOS. Equol is one of the most active isoflavone metabolites, produced by intestinal bacteria, and acts as a selective estrogen receptor modulator. Method: In this interventional study of clinical and biochemical characterization, urine isoflavone levels were measured in PCOS and control women before and three days after a defined isoflavone intervention via soy milk. In this interventional study, bacterial equol production was evaluated using the log(equol: daidzein ratio) and microbiome, metabolic, and predicted metagenome analyses were performed. Results: After isoflavone intervention, predicted stool metagenomic pathways, microbial alpha diversity, and glucose homeostasis in PCOS improved resembling the profile of the control group at baseline. In the whole cohort, larger equol production was associated with lower androgen as well as fertility markers. Conclusion: The dynamics in our metabolic, microbiome, and predicted metagenomic profiles underline the importance of external phytohormones on PCOS characteristics and a potential therapeutic approach or prebiotic in the future.

https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/12/6/1622/pdf

Impact of Short-Term Isoflavone Intervention in Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) Patients on Microbiota Composition and Metagenomics.

This study tested the effect of isoflavone supplementation in addition to combined exercise training on plasma lipid levels, inflammatory markers and oxidative stress in postmenopausal women. Thirty-two healthy and non-obese postmenopausal women without hormone therapy were randomly assigned to exercise + placebo (PLA; n = 15) or exercise + isoflavone supplementation (ISO; n = 17) groups. They performed 30 sessions of combined exercises (aerobic plus resistance) over ten weeks and consumed 100 mg of isoflavone supplementation or placebo. Blood samples were collected after an overnight fast to analyze the lipid profile, interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-8 (IL-8), superoxide dismutase (SOD), total antioxidant capacity (FRAP), and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), before and after ten weeks of the intervention. There were no differences in the changes (pre vs. post) between groups for any of the inflammatory markers, oxidative stress markers or lipid profile variables. However, interleukin-8 was different between pre- and post-tests (p < 0.001) in both groups (Δ = 7.61 and 5.61 pg/mL) as were cholesterol levels (p < 0.05), with no interaction between groups. The combination of isoflavone supplementation and exercise training did not alter oxidative stress markers in postmenopausal women, but exercise training alone may increase IL-8 and decrease total cholesterol levels.

https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/10/4/424/pdf

The Effects of Isoflavone Supplementation Plus Combined Exercise on Lipid Levels, and Inflammatory and Oxidative Stress Markers in Postmenopausal Women.

Ernesto A Taketomi

Papers

The Effects of Isoflavone Supplementation Plus Combined Exercise on Lipid Levels, and Inflammatory and Oxidative Stress Markers in Postmenopausal Women.