Combined exercise training reduces climacteric symptoms without the additive effects of isoflavone supplementation: A clinical, controlled, randomised, double-blind study.

Nutr Health. 2017 Dec;23(4):271-279. doi: 10.1177/0260106017727359. Costa JG1, Giolo JS1, Mariano IM1, Batista JP1, Ribeiro ALA1, Souza TCF1, de Oliveira EP2, Resende APM1, Puga GM1. Author information 1 1 Laboratory of Cardiorespiratory and Metabolic Physiology, Federal University of Uberlândia, Brazil. 2 2 School of Medicine, Federal University of Uberlândia, Brazil. Abstract BACKGROUND: Exercise and supplementation with isoflavones are therapies used to prevent and treat climacteric symptoms. AIM: To verify the effects of 10 weeks of combined aerobic and resistance training and isoflavone supplementation on climacteric symptoms in postmenopausal women. METHODS: A randomised, double-blind, controlled clinical trial was performed. A total of 32 postmenopausal women, aged 54.4 ± 5.4 years, with a body mass index of 26.6 ± 3.0 kg/m2 and 5.6 ± 4.6 years after menopause, were randomly assigned to groups: placebo and exercise (PLA + EXE, n = 15) or 100 mg of isoflavone and exercise (ISO + EXE, n = 17). At the beginning and after 10 weeks of aerobic + resistance (20 min each, moderate intensity) training, climacteric symptoms were evaluated using the Blatt-Kupperman Menopausal Index, Cervantes Scale and Menopause Rating Scale. ANCOVA was used for analysis between groups and at different times, with the covariate adjusted by the pre-value. The level of significance considered was p < 0.05. RESULTS: A reduction in climacteric symptoms was observed in both groups, without differences between the interventions. The reductions were 45% and 50% for the Blatt-Kupperman Menopausal Index, 41% and 52% for the MRS and 39% and 39% for the Cervantes Scale in the ISO + EXE and PLA + EXE groups, respectively. In the descriptive analysis of the Blatt-Kupperman Menopausal Index values, there was an increase in the absence of symptoms from 48-77% in the ISO + EXE group and 24-58% in the PLA + EXE group. CONCLUSIONS: A period of 10 weeks of combined training was effective in improving climacteric symptoms in post-menopausal women. However, isoflavone supplementation did not promote additional effects in improving symptoms. KEYWORDS: Isoflavone; aerobic exercise; climacteric symptoms; postmenopausal women; resistance exercise PMID: 29214925 DOI: 10.1177/0260106017727359 [Indexed for MEDLINE]