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Endocrinology and Metabolism Clinics of... Sep 2015Evidence points to an important role of estradiol (E2) in the regulation of body composition and bioenergetics. Basic and preclinical research shows that the disruption... (Review)
Review
Evidence points to an important role of estradiol (E2) in the regulation of body composition and bioenergetics. Basic and preclinical research shows that the disruption of E2 signaling through either genetic manipulation or surgical intervention accelerates fat accumulation, with a disproportionate increase in abdominal fat. Clinical evidence for the regulation of body composition and bioenergetics by E2 is less consistent. Evidence exists both for and against menopause as the mediator of changes in body composition. Thus, a need remains to better understand the metabolic actions of estrogens in women and the potential impact on health after the menopause.
Topics: Body Composition; Energy Metabolism; Estrogens; Female; Humans; Menopause
PubMed: 26316249
DOI: 10.1016/j.ecl.2015.05.011 -
Medicina (Kaunas, Lithuania) Aug 2019Menopause can occur spontaneously (natural menopause) or it can be surgically induced by oophorectomy. The symptoms and complications related to menopause differ from... (Review)
Review
Menopause can occur spontaneously (natural menopause) or it can be surgically induced by oophorectomy. The symptoms and complications related to menopause differ from one patient to another. We aimed to review the similarities and differences between natural and surgically induced menopause by analyzing the available data in literature regarding surgically induced menopause and the current guidelines and recommendations, the advantages of bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy in low and high risk patients, the effects of surgically induced menopause and to analyze the factors involved in decision making.
Topics: Decision Making; Female; Humans; Menopause; Middle Aged; Ovarian Neoplasms; Salpingo-oophorectomy
PubMed: 31416275
DOI: 10.3390/medicina55080482 -
Maturitas May 2016The human menopause transition and aging are each associated with an increase in a variety of health risk factors including, but not limited to, cardiovascular disease,... (Review)
Review
The human menopause transition and aging are each associated with an increase in a variety of health risk factors including, but not limited to, cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, cancer, diabetes, stroke, sexual dysfunction, affective disorders, sleep disturbances, and cognitive decline. It is challenging to systematically evaluate the biological underpinnings associated with the menopause transition in the human population. For this reason, rodent models have been invaluable tools for studying the impact of gonadal hormone fluctuations and eventual decline on a variety of body systems. While it is essential to keep in mind that some of the mechanisms associated with aging and the transition into a reproductively senescent state can differ when translating from one species to another, animal models provide researchers with opportunities to gain a fundamental understanding of the key elements underlying reproduction and aging processes, paving the way to explore novel pathways for intervention associated with known health risks. Here, we discuss the utility of several rodent models used in the laboratory for translational menopause research, examining the benefits and drawbacks in helping us to better understand aging and the menopause transition in women. The rodent models discussed are ovary-intact, ovariectomy, and 4-vinylcylohexene diepoxide for the menopause transition. We then describe how these models may be implemented in the laboratory, particularly in the context of cognition. Ultimately, we aim to use these animal models to elucidate novel perspectives and interventions for maintaining a high quality of life in women, and to potentially prevent or postpone the onset of negative health consequences associated with these significant life changes during aging.
Topics: Aging; Animals; Behavior, Animal; Cognition; Endocrinology; Female; Humans; Menopause; Models, Animal; Ovariectomy; Ovary; Quality of Life; Reproduction; Rodentia; Translational Research, Biomedical
PubMed: 27013283
DOI: 10.1016/j.maturitas.2016.01.015 -
Circulation Feb 2021Premature menopause is an independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease in women, but mechanisms underlying this association remain unclear. Clonal hematopoiesis of...
BACKGROUND
Premature menopause is an independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease in women, but mechanisms underlying this association remain unclear. Clonal hematopoiesis of indeterminate potential (CHIP), the age-related expansion of hematopoietic cells with leukemogenic mutations without detectable malignancy, is associated with accelerated atherosclerosis. Whether premature menopause is associated with CHIP is unknown.
METHODS
We included postmenopausal women from the UK Biobank (n=11 495) aged 40 to 70 years with whole exome sequences and from the Women's Health Initiative (n=8111) aged 50 to 79 years with whole genome sequences. Premature menopause was defined as natural or surgical menopause occurring before age 40 years. Co-primary outcomes were the presence of any CHIP and CHIP with variant allele frequency >0.1. Logistic regression tested the association of premature menopause with CHIP, adjusted for age, race, the first 10 principal components of ancestry, smoking, diabetes, and hormone therapy use. Secondary analyses considered natural versus surgical premature menopause and gene-specific CHIP subtypes. Multivariable-adjusted Cox models tested the association between CHIP and incident coronary artery disease.
RESULTS
The sample included 19 606 women, including 418 (2.1%) with natural premature menopause and 887 (4.5%) with surgical premature menopause. Across cohorts, CHIP prevalence in postmenopausal women with versus without a history of premature menopause was 8.8% versus 5.5% (<0.001), respectively. After multivariable adjustment, premature menopause was independently associated with CHIP (all CHIP: odds ratio, 1.36 [95% 1.10-1.68]; =0.004; CHIP with variant allele frequency >0.1: odds ratio, 1.40 [95% CI, 1.10-1.79]; =0.007). Associations were larger for natural premature menopause (all CHIP: odds ratio, 1.73 [95% CI, 1.23-2.44]; =0.001; CHIP with variant allele frequency >0.1: odds ratio, 1.91 [95% CI, 1.30-2.80]; <0.001) but smaller and nonsignificant for surgical premature menopause. In gene-specific analyses, only CHIP was significantly associated with premature menopause. Among postmenopausal middle-aged women, CHIP was independently associated with incident coronary artery disease (hazard ratio associated with all CHIP: 1.36 [95% CI, 1.07-1.73]; =0.012; hazard ratio associated with CHIP with variant allele frequency >0.1: 1.48 [95% CI, 1.13-1.94]; =0.005).
CONCLUSIONS
Premature menopause, especially natural premature menopause, is independently associated with CHIP among postmenopausal women. Natural premature menopause may serve as a risk signal for predilection to develop CHIP and CHIP-associated cardiovascular disease.
Topics: Adult; Aged; Clonal Hematopoiesis; Coronary Artery Disease; Female; Humans; Menopause, Premature; Middle Aged; Postmenopause; Prospective Studies; Risk Factors; Women's Health
PubMed: 33161765
DOI: 10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.120.051775 -
The Journals of Gerontology. Series A,... Jan 2022The link between survival and reproductive function is demonstrated across many species and is under both long-term evolutionary pressures and short-term environmental... (Review)
Review
The link between survival and reproductive function is demonstrated across many species and is under both long-term evolutionary pressures and short-term environmental pressures. Loss of reproductive function is common in mammals and is strongly correlated with increased rates of disease in both males and females. However, the reproduction-associated change in disease rates is more abrupt and more severe in women, who benefit from a significant health advantage over men until the age of menopause. Young women with early ovarian failure also suffer from increased disease risks, further supporting the role of ovarian function in female health. Contemporary experiments where the influence of young ovarian tissue has been restored in postreproductive-aged females with surgical manipulation were found to increase survival significantly. In these experiments, young, intact ovaries were used to replace the aged ovaries of females that had already reached reproductive cessation. As has been seen previously in primitive species, when the young mammalian ovaries were depleted of germ cells prior to transplantation to the postreproductive female, survival was increased even further than with germ cell-containing young ovaries. Thus, extending reproductive potential significantly increases survival and appears to be germ cell and ovarian hormone-independent. The current review will discuss historical and contemporary observations and theories that support the link between reproduction and survival and provide hope for future clinical applications to decrease menopause-associated increases in disease risks.
Topics: Aging; Animals; Female; Humans; Male; Mammals; Menopause; Ovary; Reproduction
PubMed: 34528058
DOI: 10.1093/gerona/glab252 -
The Cochrane Database of Systematic... Jul 2014Background Prophylactic oophorectomy alongside hysterectomy in premenopausal women is a common procedure. The decision to remove or conserve the ovaries is often based... (Comparative Study)
Comparative Study Review
Background Prophylactic oophorectomy alongside hysterectomy in premenopausal women is a common procedure. The decision to remove or conserve the ovaries is often based on the perceived risk for ovarian cancer and the need for additional gynaecological surgical interventions,and is weighed against the perceived risk of negative health effects caused by surgically induced menopause. The evidence needed to recommend either prophylactic bilateral oophorectomy or conservation of ovaries at the time of hysterectomy in premenopausal women is limited. This is an update of the original version of this systematic review published in 2008.Objectives To compare hysterectomy alone versus hysterectomy plus bilateral oophorectomy in women with benign gynaecological conditions,with respect to rates of mortality or subsequent gynaecological surgical interventions.Search methods We searched the Cochrane Menstrual Disorders and Subfertility Group Trials Register (December 2005 to January 2014) and the following electronic databases: CENTRAL (The Cochrane Library 2013, Issue 12), MEDLINE (January 1966 to January 2014),EMBASE (January 1985 to January 2014), and PsycINFO (1806 to January 2014).Selection criteria Randomised controlled trials (RCTs) of hysterectomy alone versus hysterectomy with bilateral oophorectomy in premenopausal women with benign gynaecological conditions were eligible. Any surgical approach could be used.Data collection and analysis Three review authors independently assessed trials for inclusion. Study authors were contacted if information was unclear.Main results Only one RCT comparing the benefits and risks of hysterectomy with or without oophorectomy was identified. The results of this pilot RCT have not been published and we have not been able to obtain the results. Therefore, no data could be included in this review. Authors' conclusions The conclusions of this review are limited by a lack of RCTs. Although no evidence is available from RCTs, there is growing evidence from observational studies that surgical menopause may impact negatively on cardiovascular health and all cause mortality.
Topics: Combined Modality Therapy; Female; Genital Diseases, Female; Humans; Hysterectomy; Ovariectomy; Premenopause
PubMed: 25101365
DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD005638.pub3 -
Menopause (New York, N.Y.) Feb 2016Our objective was to examine risk factors associated with development of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) among women with endometrial cancer who underwent...
OBJECTIVE
Our objective was to examine risk factors associated with development of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) among women with endometrial cancer who underwent surgical staging with or without oophorectomy.
METHODS
This is a retrospective study that evaluated endometrial cancer cases that underwent surgical staging (n = 666) and endometrial hyperplasia cases that underwent hysterectomy-based treatment (n = 209). This study included 712 oophorectomy cases and 163 nonoophorectomy cases. Archived records were reviewed for participant demographics, medical comorbidities, operative notes, histology results, and radiology reports for NAFLD. Cumulative risks of NAFLD after surgical operation were correlated to demographics and medical comorbidities.
RESULTS
The cumulative prevalence of NAFLD in 875 women with endometrial tumor was 14.1%, 20.5%, and 38.4% at 1, 2, and 5 years after surgical operation, respectively. On multivariate analysis, after controlling for age, ethnicity, body mass index, medical comorbidities, tumor type, hormonal treatment pattern, and oophorectomy status, age younger than 40 years (2-y cumulative prevalence, 26.6% vs 16.8%; hazard ratio [HR], 1.85; 95% CI, 1.27-2.71; P = 0.001) and age 40 to 49 years (2-y cumulative prevalence, 23.1% vs 16.8%; HR, 1.49; 95% CI, 1.08-2.04; P = 0.015) remained significant predictors for developing NAFLD after surgical operation compared with age 50 years or older. Oophorectomy was an independent predictor for increased risk of NAFLD (20.9% vs 15.9%; HR, 1.70; 95% CI, 1.01-2.86; P = 0.047). In addition, NAFLD was significantly associated with postoperative development of diabetes mellitus (39.2% vs 15.3%; HR, 2.26; 95% CI, 1.52-3.35; P < 0.0001) and hypercholesterolemia (34.3% vs 17.5%; HR, 1.71; 95% CI, 1.12-2.63; P = 0.014).
CONCLUSIONS
Oophorectomy in young women with endometrial cancer significantly increases the risk of NAFLD. This is associated with development of diabetes mellitus and hypercholesterolemia after oophorectomy.
Topics: Disease Progression; Endometrial Neoplasms; Female; Humans; Hysterectomy; Menopause, Premature; Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease; Obesity; Retrospective Studies; Risk Factors
PubMed: 26173075
DOI: 10.1097/GME.0000000000000500 -
Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) Jul 2020Women's life stages are based on their reproductive cycle. This cycle begins with menstruation and ends with menopause. Aging is a natural phenomenon that affects all... (Review)
Review
Women's life stages are based on their reproductive cycle. This cycle begins with menstruation and ends with menopause. Aging is a natural phenomenon that affects all humans, and it is associated with a decrease in the overall function of the organism. In women, aging is related with and starts with menopause. Also, during menopause and postmenopausal period, the risk of various age-related diseases and complaints is higher. For this reason, researchers were pushed to find effective remedies that could promote healthy aging and extended lifespan. Apitherapy is a type of alternative medicine that uses natural products from honeybees, such as honey, propolis, royal jelly, etc. Royal jelly is a natural yellowish-white substance, secreted by both hypopharyngeal and mandibular glands of nurse bees, usually used to feed the queen bees and young worker larvae. Over the centuries, this natural product was considered a gold mine for traditional and natural medicine, due to its miraculous effects. Royal jelly has been used for a long time in commercial medical products. It has been demonstrated to possess a wide range of functional properties, such as: antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, vasodilatative, hypotensive, anticancer, estrogen-like, antihypercholesterolemic, and antioxidant activities. This product is usually used to supplement various diseases such as cardiovascular disease, Alzheimer's disease, sexual dysfunctions, diabetes or cancer. The main objective of this study is to highlight the effectiveness of royal jelly supplementation in relieving menopause symptoms and aging-related diseases. We also aimed to review the most recent research advances regarding the composition of royal jelly for a better understanding of the effects on human health promotion.
Topics: Aging; Fatty Acids; Humans; Postmenopause
PubMed: 32698461
DOI: 10.3390/molecules25143291 -
BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders Aug 2023Arthralgia or joint pain is a heterogeneous condition including organic and nonorganic joint pain. It is common in older populations, particularly in females. There is...
BACKGROUND
Arthralgia or joint pain is a heterogeneous condition including organic and nonorganic joint pain. It is common in older populations, particularly in females. There is evidence that menopausal changes are associated with increased prevalence of arthralgia. While physical activities have been recommended to mitigate osteoarthritis (OA) and arthralgia, sport participation also carries risk factors due to excessive loading of some joints and possible injuries. The aim was to evaluate the association of training patterns, prior injuries, and severity of menopausal symptoms with arthralgia in female Masters weightlifters.
METHODS
Competitive female Masters weightlifters (n=868, 30-78 years) from 30 countries completed an online survey including joint pain for different anatomical sites, weightlifting training and performance, sport history, and menopausal symptoms. Logistic regression models were used to estimate the association of training patterns, prior sport participation, and menopausal symptom severity with arthralgia separately for shoulders, spine, hips, knees, ankles, elbows, and hands.
RESULTS
Arthralgia was most reported in knees (38.8%), shoulders (29.8%), hands/wrists (28.8%), and hips (24.9%). The prevalence of arthralgia was 51.5% in pre-menopausal women, 62.4% in women post natural menopause and 73.3% in women post medical or surgical menopause. Lifting heavier weights was associated with arthralgia in hips (OR=1.05, p=0.03), knees (OR=1.06, p=0.01), and hands/wrists (OR=1.05, p=0.04), but prior strength training was protective for arthralgia in the shoulders (OR=0.66, p=0.02). Prior injuries and psychological menopausal symptom severity were associated with an increased risk for arthralgia (p<0.01).
CONCLUSIONS
Arthralgia was common in competitive female weightlifters. Training frequency was not associated with arthralgia, but lifting heavier weights relative to age and body mass was. Prior injuries and menopausal symptoms were associated with arthralgia, but prior strength training was protective of arthralgia in the shoulders. Athletes, coaches and sports medicine professionals should be aware that prevalence of polyarthralgia increases in post-menopausal athletes.
Topics: Female; Humans; Aged; Arthralgia; Hand; Upper Extremity; Menopause; Sports
PubMed: 37620827
DOI: 10.1186/s12891-023-06814-y -
Viruses Dec 2023The objectives of this study were to describe the trajectories of bone mineral density (BMD) and trabecular bone score (TBS) changes throughout pre-menopause... (Observational Study)
Observational Study
OBJECTIVE
The objectives of this study were to describe the trajectories of bone mineral density (BMD) and trabecular bone score (TBS) changes throughout pre-menopause (reproductive phase and menopausal transition) and post-menopause (early and late menopause) in women with HIV (WWH) undergoing different antiretroviral therapies (ARTs) and explore the risk factors associated with those changes.
METHODS
This was an observational longitudinal retrospective study in WWH with a minimum of two DEXA evaluations comprising BMD and TBS measurements, both in the pre-menopausal and post-menopausal periods. Menopause was determined according to the STRAW+10 criteria, comprising four periods: the reproductive period, menopausal transition, and early- and late-menopausal periods. Mixed-effects models were fitted to estimate the trajectories of the two outcomes (BMD and TBS) over time. Annualized lumbar BMD and TBS absolute and percentage changes were calculated in each STRAW+10 time window. A backward elimination procedure was applied to obtain the final model, including the predictors that affected the trajectories of BMD or TBS over time.
RESULTS
A total of 202 WWH, all Caucasian, were included. In detail, 1954 BMD and 195 TBS data were analyzed. The median number of DEXA evaluations per woman was 10 (IQR: 7, 12). The median observation periods per patient were 12.0 years (IQR = 8.9-14.4) for BMD and 6.0 years (IQR: 4.3, 7.9) for TBS. The prevalence of osteopenia (63% vs. 76%; < 0.001) and osteoporosis (16% vs. 36%; < 0.001) increased significantly between the pre-menopausal and post-menopausal periods. Both BMD (1.03 (±0.14) vs. 0.92 (±0.12) g/cm; < 0.001) and TBS (1.41 (IQR: 1.35, 1.45) vs. 1.32 (IQR: 1.28, 1.39); < 0.001) decreased significantly between the two periods. The trend in BMD decreased across the four STRAW+10 periods, with a slight attenuation only in the late-menopausal period when compared with the other intervals. The TBS slope did not significantly change throughout menopause. The delta mean values of TBS in WWH were lower between the menopausal transition and reproductive period compared with the difference between menopause and menopausal transition.
CONCLUSIONS
Both BMD and TBS significantly decreased over time. The slope of the change in BMD and TBS significantly decreased in the menopausal transition, suggesting that this period should be considered by clinicians as a key time during which to assess bone health and modifiable risk factors in WWH.
Topics: Female; Humans; Bone Density; Cancellous Bone; Retrospective Studies; Lumbar Vertebrae; Menopause; HIV Infections
PubMed: 38140615
DOI: 10.3390/v15122375