Estrogen/gestagen therapy changes soft tissue body composition in postmenopausal women

Area of Science:

• Endocrinology
• Menopause Research
• Body Composition Analysis

Background:

• Menopause is associated with changes in body composition, including increased fat mass.
• Estrogen replacement therapy (ERT) is a common intervention for managing menopausal symptoms.
• Understanding the long-term effects of different ERT routes on body composition is crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the long-term effects of oral and percutaneous estrogen replacement therapy on soft tissue body composition in early postmenopausal women.
• To compare the efficacy of oral and transdermal estrogen administration in preventing fat accumulation.
• To assess the impact of ERT on lean body mass and overall body fat.

Main Methods:

• A two-year, placebo-controlled study involving 110 early postmenopausal women.
• Four treatment groups: oral cyclical estrogen-progestogen, oral placebo, percutaneous 17 beta-estradiol with progesterone, and percutaneous placebo.
• Body composition measured annually using dual photon absorptiometry (lean body mass, fat mass) and every 3 months using single photon absorptiometry (forearm fat layer).

Main Results:

• Both oral and percutaneous hormone therapies prevented the increase in forearm fat layer observed in placebo groups.
• Similar effects were noted for overall fat mass, body weight, and skin-fold thickness.
• Lean body mass was not significantly affected by either hormone therapy regimen.

Conclusions:

• Hormone replacement therapy, regardless of administration route (oral or percutaneous), effectively prevents the age-related increase in body fat post-menopause.
• Estrogen therapy primarily impacts fat mass, with no significant effect on lean body mass.
• Percutaneous estrogen therapy may offer a viable alternative for managing body composition changes during menopause.