The Effects of Resveratrol and Acute Exercise on Endothelial Function in Postmenopausal Women
Status:
Completed
Trial end date:
2016-03-25
Target enrollment:
Participant gender:
Summary
This pilot study plans to learn more about the aging of blood vessels and arteries in women.
As women age and go through menopause, their risk for cardiovascular disease increases. Also
with aging and menopause, levels of the reproductive hormone estradiol decline. Hormone
replacement therapy to restore estradiol levels does not protect women from cardiovascular
disease, so lifestyle changes, such as regular exercise, are recommended to reduce disease
risk. However, there are differences between men and women in their response to exercise. In
older men, exercise improves the health of their arteries, but in postmenopausal women,
exercise does not provide this benefit. The purpose of this pilot study is to determine
whether low estradiol levels in postmenopausal women are responsible for the poor vascular
response to exercise. In this study the investigators will also test whether treatment with
resveratrol, a plant compound found in red wine, improves postmenopausal women's response to
exercise. The investigators hypothesize that acute treatment with estrogen or resveratrol
will improve vascular responses to an acute bout of exercise.