Tighten My Vagina

Main Category: Menopause
Also Included In: Genetics;  Breast Cancer
Article Date: 24 Jan 2012 – 2:00 PST

email to a friend   printer friendly   opinions  

<!– rate article

Patient / Public:

Healthcare Prof:

An international team of researchers has discovered 13 new regions of the genome associated with the timing of menopause. These genes shed light on the biological pathways involved in reproductive lifespan and will provide insights into conditions connected to menopause, such as breast cancer and heart disease.

Menopause is a major hormonal change that affects most women when they are in their early 50s. The timing of menopause can have a huge impact on fertility, as well as influencing the risk of a range of common diseases such as breast cancer. It has been known for some time that genetic factors influenced the onset of menopause, however until recently very few genes had been identified.

In the new study, published in the journal Nature Genetics, Dr Anna Murray, University of Exeter, Peninsula College of Medicine and Dentistry (PCMD) Dr John Perry, PCMD and WTCHG, University of Oxford, and dozens of international collaborators, examined the genomes of over 50,000 women. They identified 13 novel gene regions associated with menopause onset, and confirmed four previously identified. Most of the 17 regions include genes related to DNA damage/repair or the immune system, whilst others are linked to hormonal regulation.

Dr Perry said: “The new findings highlight biological pathways not previously associated with reproductive lifespan, and may provide insights into the other conditions connected with menopause age, such as cardiovascular disease and breast cancer.”

The association with breast cancer is related to the length of time a woman menstruates in total and is thought to be related to oestrogen exposure over a lifetime – in fact earlier menopause is protective for breast cancer. Cardiovascular risk is increased in post-menopausal women compared to pre-menopausal and reduced oestrogen is thought to be a key component of this increased risk. Genetic studies will be beneficial in working out exactly what the relationships are between these conditions.

Dr. Murray added: “Menopause is a process most women go through, yet we know very little about what governs the timing of this key event in a woman’s life. By finding out which genes control the timing of menopause we hope to be able understand why this happens very early to some women, reducing their chances of having children naturally.”

The authors said they expected further research will identify additional genes, and also assess the impact of these genetic regions on related reproductive disorders. The research team are currently investigating women who had very early menopause, before 45 years, to determine whether the new menopause genes play a role in this clinically important condition which affects over five per cent of women.

Besides Dr Murray and Dr Perry, senior authors on the study include Professor Kathryn Lunetta and Dr Joanne Murabito at the Boston University schools of Public Health and Medicine, and Jenny A. Visser, a scientist at Erasmus Medical Center in Rotterdam (Netherlands).

Privacy Policy |
Terms and Conditions

MediLexicon International Ltd
Bexhill-on-Sea, United Kingdom
MediLexicon International Ltd © 2004-2012 All rights reserved.

Source: http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/releases/240660.php

Editor’s Choice
Academic Journal
Main Category: Menopause
Also Included In: Complementary Medicine / Alternative Medicine
Article Date: 23 Jan 2012 – 8:00 PST

email to a friend   printer friendly   opinions  

<!– rate article

Patient / Public:

Healthcare Prof:

Women who took pomegranate seed oil pills to relieve symptoms of the menopause, such as hot flashes, were found to receive no significantly better benefits than those who were given a placebo pill which contained sunflower oil, researchers from the Medical University of Vienna wrote in the journal Menopause. The authors added that theirs is the first (albeit small) proper clinical trial to test pomegranate seed oil for the symptoms of menopause.

The researchers explained that more than four in every five females experience hot flashes during the menopause.

Hot flashes refers to a sudden wave of body heat rushes of hormonal changes that occur in a woman – her levels of various hormones, particularly estrogen, decrease. These flashes can occur at any time of day, and can go on from just a few seconds to about thirty minutes. They occur because the blood vessels dilate and constrict. The woman has a sensation of warmth (flushing), which spreads to various parts of her body – it is usually followed by sweating, an accelerated heartbeat, and a feeling of anxiety. These symptoms usually appear when the female is in her forties, and may come and go for up to ten years. As time goes by, they occur less frequently. Experts say hot flashes are due to fluctuating hormone levels, rather than simply low hormone levels.

Lead researcher, Leo Auerbach, said that over a 12-week period pomegranate seed oil does not seem to make any significant difference to menopausal symptoms. However, in order to determine what the long-term effects and/or benefits might be, further studies are required.

Auerbach and colleagues set out to determine what impact pomegranate oil seed might have on 81 females aged between 45 and 60 years; they were all postmenopausal. They had all been experiencing at least five hot flashes per day for over 12 months since their final menstruation.

They were randomly divided into two groups:

• The pomegranate seed oil group – they took two 30-milligram pomegranate seed oil capsules per day for 12 weeks
• The placebo group – they took two identically-looking capsules per day during the 12 weeks. However, the capsules were dummy ones (they had no active ingredient in them)

All the participants’ hormone levels were tested at the beginning and end of the study.

The following findings were reported in the journal:

• The pomegranate seed oil group
  The women had an average of 11.1 hot flashes per day at the start of the 12 weeks
  They had an average of 6.8 hot flashes per day at the end of the 12 weeks – a 39% drop
• The placebo group
  The women had an average of 9.9 hot flashes at the start of the 12 weeks
  They had an average of 7.3 hot flashes per day at the end of the 12 weeks – a 26% drop

Menopausal symptoms tend to respond well to placebos anyway, the authors wrote. They had expected to see a drop in symptoms in both groups (a placebo effect was expected).

They explained that the difference between the two groups does not represent a significant benefit, i.e. a 13% difference is too small.

Hormone levels at the beginning and end of the 12-week period were not statistically different between the two groups, the researchers said.

However, those in the pomegranate group did report considerably better quality sleep.

In an Abstract in the journal, the authors concluded:

“In postmenopausal women, PGS does not significantly reduce hot flashes within a 12-week observation period, but further studies are needed to investigate the long-term effect.”

PEKANA, a German herbal supplement maker and marketer, funded the study and provided the supplements.

The US FDA (Food and Drug Administration) has only approved hormone therapy for the treatment of hot flashes.

Written by Christian Nordqvist

Copyright: Medical News Today

Not to be reproduced without permission of Medical News Today

Privacy Policy |
Terms and Conditions

MediLexicon International Ltd
Bexhill-on-Sea, United Kingdom
MediLexicon International Ltd © 2004-2012 All rights reserved.

Source: http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/240638.php

In a finding that confirms what many obstetricians and gynecologists suspected, Duke University researchers report that younger women who undergo hysterectomies face a nearly two-fold increased risk for developing menopause early.

The study, published in the December issue of the journal Obstetrics Gynecology, is the largest analysis to track over time the actual hormonal impact of woman who had hysterectomies and compare them to women whose uteruses remained intact.

“Hysterectomy is a common treatment for many conditions, including fibroids and excessive bleeding,” said Patricia G. Moorman, PhD., MSPH, an associate professor in the Department of Community and Family Medicine at Duke University and lead author of the study. “Most women are very satisfied with the results of a hysterectomy. But this is a potential risk of the surgery that should be considered along with the benefit.”

Up to 600,000 women in the United States undergo hysterectomy each year, but the long-term consequences of the procedure have not been well documented. Studies have been small, or relied on the recollections of women about the onset of menopause. Read the rest of this entry »

Main Category: Stroke
Also Included In: Nutrition / Diet;  Menopause;  Cholesterol
Article Date: 25 Sep 2011 – 0:00 PST

email to a friend   printer friendly   opinions  

<!– rate article

Patient / Public:

5 (1 votes)

Healthcare Prof:

5 (1 votes)

A new study published in the November 2011 issue of Stroke reveals some promising data on the positive effects of soy protein reducing the progression of clogged arteries in women who were within five years of menopause. This study was the largest and longest randomized controlled human study conducted to-date that directly investigated the efficacy of isolated soy protein consumption on the progression of atherosclerosis (lipid deposition in the artery walls).

“These results are consistent with what we have learned through research conducted over the past decade,” said Howard N. Hodis, MD, USC Keck School of Medicine and lead author of the study. “The literature demonstrates that there is a ‘window of opportunity’ of a potential beneficial effect on coronary heart disease for products that bind to the estrogen receptor including hormone-replacement therapy, soybean isoflavones or selective estrogen receptor modulators (SERMs) when initiated in women within 5-6 years of menopause.”

The progression rate of carotid artery intima-media thickness (CIMT) trended to be 16 percent lower on average in the isoflavone-containing soy protein group compared with the placebo group. However, in women who had experienced menopause within the past five years, isolated soy protein consumption was associated with a significant 68 percent reduction in CIMT progression compared to those consuming the placebo.

Excellent compliance was observed for this study as determined by package and bar count (86.5 percent for placebo and 91.0 percent for isolated soy protein). Compliance was confirmed by plasma and urine isoflavone measurements.

“The high compliance suggests that the clinical study products provided by Solae were very palatable and were not associated with any significant adverse effects as confirmed by the data,” said Elaine Krul, PhD, nutrition discovery lead, Solae.

Subjects in this study were ‘healthy’ with no previous signs of cardiovascular disease which may explain the lack of significant reduction in plasma lipids that is seen in persons with higher plasma lipid levels.

“This study also showed a significant increase in HDL (“the good”) cholesterol in participants consuming isolated soy protein,” said Krul. “The results of this study reinforce that soy protein can provide health benefits for the healthy aging market segment.”

The study* was conducted between 2004 and 2009. It was a double-blind, placebo-controlled parallel-design study of 350 postmenopausal women aged 45-92 years without diagnosed diabetes or heart disease that were recruited in Greater Los Angeles.

Privacy Policy |
Terms and Conditions

MediLexicon International Ltd
Bexhill-on-Sea, United Kingdom
MediLexicon International Ltd © 2004-2011 All rights reserved.

Source: http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/releases/234900.php

Main Category: Women’s Health / Gynecology
Also Included In: Nutrition / Diet;  Menopause
Article Date: 21 Oct 2011 – 1:00 PST

email to a friend   printer friendly   opinions  

<!– rate article

Patient / Public:

4 (1 votes)

Healthcare Prof:

4 (1 votes)

A healthy diet is especially important during the menopause a period in which the risk of suffering from health problems increases. Various studies analyse the diet of peri and postmenopausal women in Spain alongside the troubles that come with this transition. The results show that all of those groups studied have a deficient intake of vitamin D.

Marina Pollán, researcher at the Carlos III Institute of Health and one of the authors of the study explains that “biological and physiological changes in women caused by the menopause come with a greater risk of developing health problems in which diet plays an important role. These include diabetes, osteoporosis, cardiovascular disease and certain types of cancer.”

Therefore, the analysis of dietary patterns during and after the menopause is of particular interest because of its health implications. However, in Spain there have been very few studies that have assessed the diet of peri- and postmenopausal women.

In order to study these dietary habits, the authors of the study analysed 3574 women from the age of 45 to 68 from October 2007 to July 2008. Each programme contained a minimum of 500 women from seven Spanish cities (La Coruña, Barcelona, Burgos, Palma de Mallorca, Pamplona, Valencia and Zaragoza) and involved a food frequency questionnaire validated by the Spanish population.

The results show that obesity rates stand at 29% whereas 42% of subjects are overweight. Average calorie intake was 2053 kilocalories (with 43% of energy intake coming from carbohydrates, 36% from fats and 20% from proteins). Researchers highlight that practically all of the women received the recommended intake of all the vitamins, apart from D and E.

The case of vitamin D is striking given that none of the groups reached 50% of their RDA (Recommended Daily Allowance). The average total intake was 2.14 micrograms per day, which constitutes just 39% of the RDA for women of this age group.

“A diet with less fat and protein that is high in vegetables, nuts, and carbohydrate-rich foods will even out the energy balance and corrects levels of vitamin D and E,”according to the researchers. “This is especially important in places that are far away from the Mediterranean Sea where women have a greater tendency to fall short of the current recommendations.”

A greater risk of obesity

Another study lead by Faustino R. Pérez-López, coordinator of the study group of the Spanish Association for the Study of the Menopause, links body weight with metabolic and hormonal parameters in 574 postmenopausal women.

Published in the Gynecological Endocrinology journal, the results confirm that Body Mass Index (BMI) during the menopause increases with ages, the time that the menopause began, the number of children and also with blood sugar levels, triglyceride levels and systolic blood pressure.

Pérez-López points out that “this allows us to propose lifestyles changes that could improve quality of life and reduce the mortality rate associated with obesity if they are adopted early on.”

Body fat mass distribution, weight regulation and hormone secretion of fat are all different when it comes to men and women. Abdominal obesity is more frequent in postmenopausal women. It increases the risk of heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, sleep apnoea, cancer, arthrosis, mental health problems and even death.

Furthermore, peri- and postmenopausal obesity intensifies the symptoms of the menopause and it is associated with a lower quality of life than that of women of normal weight. “Experimental studies of animals and women show that treatment with ovarian hormones can impede weight gain and muscle mass loss,” according to the researcher.

Sexuality during the menopause

Another study by Faustino R. Pérez-López, published in the Journal of Sex Medicine, deals with the female sexuality during the menopause. This is usually characterised by organic changes within themselves and their partner alike, previous sexual dysfunctions and socio-demographic factors that change from region to region, or even from one period of time to another.

Experts used the Changes in Sexual Function Questionnaire (CCFS) which consists of 14 simple questions. Its results show that 64.1% of the 117 volunteers (between February and November of 2010 in the Hospital Central de Asturias in Oviedo and the Hospital Cabueñes in Gijón, Spain) admitted to suffering from female sexual dysfunction.

Pérez-López outlines the importance of highlighting that “a third of Western women display some form of sexual dysfunction throughout their lives. This sometimes comes hand in hand with depression, anxiety, low self-esteem and a decrease in their quality of life.”

Sexual arousal problems are related to a lowered quality of life and also to urogenital tract problems whereas orgasm problems maintain a link with a decrease in the quality of life. Signs of depression are associated with the supposed onset of female sexual dysfunction.

The score from the CCFS showed a positive correlation between the educational attainment of the woman and her partner and the frequency with which she engages in sexual relations. They showed a negative correlation with depression,” according to the conclusions of Pérez-López, who points out that more studies are necessary before we take these findings as a given when talking about other population groups.

Privacy Policy |
Terms and Conditions

MediLexicon International Ltd
Bexhill-on-Sea, United Kingdom
MediLexicon International Ltd © 2004-2011 All rights reserved.

Source: http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/releases/236349.php