Register for Hormone replacement therapy reduces weight gain in early postmenopausal women
MenopauseMarch 20, 2003
2003 MAR 20 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- A randomized controlled 5-year clinical trial of the Danish osteoporosis prevention study shows hormone replacement therapy dissociates fat mass and bone mass and tends to reduce weight gain in early postmenopausal women.
"The aim of this study was to study the influence of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) on weight changes, body composition, and bone mass in early postmenopausal women in a partly randomized comprehensive cohort study design. A total of 2016 women ages 45-58 years from three months to 2 years past last menstrual bleeding were included. One thousand were randomly assigned to HRT or no HRT in an open trial, whereas the others were allocated according to their preferences," researchers in Denmark report.
"All were followed for 5 years for body weight, bone mass, and body composition measurements," said L. B. Jensen and colleagues at Amagar Hospital, Odense University Hospital, Hillerod Hospital, and Hvidovre Hospital. "Body weight increased less over the 5 years in women randomized to HRT (1.94±4.86 kg) than in women randomized to no HRT (2.57±4.63, p=0.046). A similar pattern was seen in the group receiving HRT or not by their own choice. The smaller weight gain in women on HRT was almost entirely caused by a lesser gain in fat. The main determinant of the weight gain was a decline in physical fitness."
The investigators found, "Women opting for HRT had a significantly lower body weight at inclusion than the other participants, but the results in the self-selected part of the study followed the pattern found in the randomized part. The change in fat mass was the strongest predictor of bone changes in untreated women, whereas the change in lean body mass was the strongest predictor when HRT was given."
The researchers concluded, "Body weight increases after the menopause. The gain in weight is related to a decrease in working capacity. HRT is associated with a smaller increase in fat mass after menopause. Fat gain protects against bone loss in untreated women but not in HRT-treated women. The data suggest that women's attitudes to HRT are more positive if they have low body weight, but there is no evidence that the conclusions in this study are skewed by selection bias."
Jensen and associates published their study in the Journal of Bone and Mineral Research (Hormone replacement therapy dissociates fat mass and bone mass, and tends to reduce weight gain in early postmenopausal women: A Randomized controlled 5-year clinical trial of the Danish osteoporosis prevention study. J Bone Miner Res, 2003;18(2):333-342).
The contact person for this report is L. B. Jensen, Department of Rheumatology, Amagar Hospital, DK-2300 Copenhagen S, Denmark.
To subscribe to the Journal of Bone and Mineral Research, contact the publisher: American Society for Bone and Mineral Research, 2025 M Street NW, Suite 800, Washington, DC 20036-3309, USA.
The information in this article comes under the major subject areas of Hormone Replacement Therapy, Menopause, Women's Health, and Weight Gain. This article was prepared by Women's Health Weekly editors from staff and other reports.
©Copyright 2003, Women's Health Weekly via NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net
