AUTHOR=Monda Vincenzo , Salerno Monica , Fiorenzo Moscatelli , Villano Ines , Viggiano Andrea , Sessa Francesco , Triggiani Antonio I. , Cibelli Giuseppe , Valenzano Anna , Marsala Gabriella , Zammit Christian , Ruberto Maria , Messina Giovanni , Monda Marcellino , De Luca Vincenzo , Messina Antonietta 

TITLE=Role of Sex Hormones in the Control of Vegetative and Metabolic Functions of Middle-Aged Women

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Physiology

VOLUME=8

YEAR=2017

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/physiology/articles/10.3389/fphys.2017.00773

DOI=10.3389/fphys.2017.00773

ISSN=1664-042X

ABSTRACT=<p><bold>Aims:</bold> In women's life, menopause is characterized by significant physiological changes often associated with an increase in body mass and obesity-associated sicknesses. Numerous researches described interdependencies of estrogen deficiency, aging, and resting energy expenditure (REE) downfall in the obesity correlated with the menopause. The aim of this study was to determining whether healthy, obese menopausal women underwent HRT treatment, showed changes in their REE, autonomic asset, and assessment of oxidative stress in comparison with obese pre- and post-menopausal women.</p><p><bold>Methodology:</bold> In this study, we measured the body composition, the REE, the oxidative stress, the diet assimilation, and the autonomic nervous system activity in three groups: pre-menopause women (<italic>n</italic> = 50), post-menopause women following hormone-replacement therapy (HRT; <italic>n</italic> = 50), and post-menopause women not following HRT (<italic>n</italic> = 50).</p><p><bold>Results:</bold> In the group with HRT a significant increase of the sympathetic activity and REE was described. Finally this group showed a notable increment of oxidative stress compared with the others, and utilizing BIA instrument, the free fat mass was increased respect to the fat mass of obese women.</p><p><bold>Conclusion:</bold> The study highlights the importance of the HRT-related physiological changes that influence body weight in menopause women. This results are important because have a practical implications for prevention and/or treatment of the obesity.</p>