PHYTOESTROGENS--BONE HEALTH AND CARDIOVASCULAR RISK

University Of Colorado Denver, Aurora CO

Investigators

Linked publications & trials

Abstract

The central theme of the proposed training grant is to determine the potential health benefits of dietary phytoestrogens in postmenopausal women. A secondary theme is to determine whether such dietary effects potentiate the health benefits of endurance exercise in postmenopausal women. Specific aims are designed to evaluate the independent and combined effect of 9 months of daily soy protein consumption and/or endurance-exercise training on outcomes (bone health and cardiovascular risk) which are typically improved by estrogen replacement therapies. The general hypothesis is that consumption of a dietary soy supplement (enriched with the isoflavone genistein) will favorably effect bone mineral quality and quality, lipid and lipoprotein profiles, endothelial function, and vascular compliance in postmenopausal women. Accordingly, postmenopausal women (50-65 yr) not on hormone replacement will be randomized to consume 25g/d of either soy protein (50mg genistein/d) or total milk protein (placebo) and to either supervised endurance-exercise or home-based stretching (control) for 9 months. This study should provide new and clinically important information on the influence of dietary phytoestrogens on bone health and cardiovascular disease risk in older women.