Exercise Helps Reduce Postmenopausal Heart Attacks.

Women's Menopause Health Center  April, 2008 Newsletter.

Exercise Helps Reduce Postmenopausal Heart Attacks.

According to a March 20, 2008 article in the Journal of Women and Aging, a new study shows that aerobic exercise helps perimenopause and menopause symptoms and significantly decreases the chemical imbalances that can lead to heart disease and stroke in postmenopausal women.

Although estrogen is known to reduce the chemical imbalances that can lead to cardiovascular diseases such as coronary heart disease and stroke in postmenopausal women, recent studies have reported detrimental effects of long-term use of synthetic hormone replacement therapy (HRT) or synthetic estrogen replacement therapy, including an increased risk of stroke, heart attack and breast cancer. Click here for the large-scale Women's Health Initiative study released in 2002 show that hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is linked to substantial increases in the risk of developing breast cancer, heart disease, strokes and blood clots

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There is hope for women who are faced with these detrimental consequences. They are learning that exercise as a natural way to help perimenopause and menopause symptoms. This is a position the Women's Menopause Health center has taken from its inception - that exercise naturally helps many perimenopausal and menopausal symptoms from hot flashes to heart attacks.

The study reported in the article found that HRT users and non-HRT users benefited equally from the exercise.

“Given the controversy with HRT, postmenopausal women can now use aerobic exercise training to lower chemical stress levels, thus reducing another risk factor for chronic disease,” said Michael D. Brown, Ph.D., a co-author and associate professor of kinesiology at Temple University’s College of Health Professions.

The chemical imbalance or stress — called oxidative stress — occurs when oxidants, harmful chemicals that damage tissue and cells, outnumber antioxidants in the body. Antioxidants protect cells and tissues against oxidants. Postmenopausal women have higher levels of oxidative stress.

A single bout of intense exercise acutely raises oxidative stress by increasing the production of oxidants. Conversely, regular exercise of moderate intensity appears to reduce oxidative stress through an adaptive process that increases antioxidant activity.

The study followed 48 sedentary postmenopausal women (21 on HRT and 27 not on HRT) through an exercise program consisting of three supervised sessions of aerobic exercise per week for 24 weeks. Participants were between 50 and 75 years of age and were postmenopausal for at
least two years.

Since changes in habitual dietary intake could influence oxidative stress levels, qualified subjects were stabilized for six weeks on the American Heart Association Step I diet, which is low in saturated and trans fat, and rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains and fat-free and low-fat dairy products, Brown said.

Weight loss was limited to 5 percent or less of the women’s initial body weight in order to determine the independent effects of aerobic exercise training on oxidative stress, not the effect of exercise and weight loss on oxidative stress.

The HRT users and non-users both experienced an 11 to 18 percent drop in plasma thiobarbituric acid reactive substances, an indicator of oxidative stress.

There were also decreases in body mass index and total body fat, and a significant increase in VO2 max (maximal oxygen uptake or aerobic capacity) in both HRT users and non-users after the exercise intervention, Brown said.

“Exercise was able to reduce oxidative stress levels in these women regardless of whether or not they were using estrogen replacement. In addition, the women did not lose large amounts of body weight or fat,” Brown said.

“No one is too old to begin an exercise program, but it is imperative to consult your physician before taking part in any exercise program. It is important to start off slow and build your program to your comfort level. Exercising is not difficult. You just have to want to do it,” Brown added.

Other authors are: Selasi Attipoe, B.S., University of Maryland; Joon-Young Park, Ph.D., University of Maryland; and Dana Phares, Ph.D., University of Maryland. Funding was provided by the National Institutes of Health.

Adapted from materials provided by Temple University.

 

April Menopause Recipe: High Calcium Collard Greens Stir-Fry.

April  Bath and Body Recipe: Sweet Cinnamon Toothpaste.

April  Exercise Tip: Aerobic Exercise IS for You!!!!

 

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