Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 20, 2026
An In Vivo Estrogen Deficiency Mouse Model for Screening Exogenous Estrogen Treatments of Cardiovascular Dysfunction After Menopause
Published on: August 13, 2019
Antioxidant effects of hormone replacement therapy in postmenopausal women
Tuncay Delibasi1, Cem Kockar, Alper Celik
1Ankara Numune Hospital, Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Ankara, Turkey. tuncay@delibasi.net
Questions Under Study:
Postmenopausal women are more likely to develop coronary artery disease than premenopausal women of the same age. Postmenopausal oral oestrogen therapy is associated with increased levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol and decreased levels of lowdensity lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol. In this study we investigated the direct contribution of hormone replacement therapy on total antioxidant capacity rather than its effects on the serum lipid profile.
Methods:
At the time of enrolment and after the drug delivery plasma total cholesterol, triglycerides (TG), HDL, LDL, uric acid, total bilirubin, albumin, oestradiol levels and total antioxidant capacity of plasma were assessed.
Results:
Levels of plasma TG and total antioxidant capacity were significantly increased in the study group.
Conclusions:
Our results suggest that oestrogen has an antioxidant effect following 3 months of hormone replacement therapy. Progesterone in combination with oestrogen does not have this effect. Also plasma TG levels increased in those patients receiving HRT after 3 months.
Related Concept Videos
01:28Menopause
01:26Aging
Cellular Clock Theory
The cellular clock theory posits that the human lifespan is closely tied to the finite capacity of cells to divide, a phenomenon governed by telomeres, which are protective caps at the ends of...
01:27Major Hormones and Their Functions
Oxytocin, produced in the hypothalamus and released by the pituitary gland, plays a role in social bonding, childbirth, and lactation.
01:22Hormonal Regulation of the Menstrual Cycle
At puberty, GnRH begins a pulsatile release pattern, which triggers the anterior pituitary gland to secrete follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH). The frequency and amplitude of GnRH pulses vary across the menstrual cycle, with faster pulses favoring LH release and slower pulses favoring FSH release.
01:22Target Cell Response to Hormones
Notably, the cellular response can be regulated by altering the number of receptors expressed in the cell. For example, prolonged exposure to elevated hormone levels results in a gradual decline or down-regulation in the number of receptors for that specific hormone on the cell surface. Conversely, in response to low hormone levels, cells may use up-regulation, producing an...
01:29Bone Disorders
Bone deposition is also affected by the levels of sex hormones like estrogen and testosterone that promote osteoblast activity and bone matrix synthesis. When the level of these hormones decreases due to aging, it causes a reduction in bone deposition. As a result, bone resorption by osteoclasts...