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Biomedical subjects

Donna Kritz-Silverstein

Publications and source records attributed to Donna Kritz-Silverstein.

18 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

The Dehydroepiandrosterone And WellNess (DAWN) study: research design and methods.

Levels of dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) and DHEA-sulfate (DHEAS), the major secretory products of the adrenal gland, decline dramatically with age, concurrent with the onset of degenerative changes and chronic diseases associated with aging. Epidemiological evidences in humans and animal studies suggest that DHEA(S) may have cardioprotective, antiobesity, antidiabetic, and immuno-enhancing properties. These observations led to the proposal that restoration of DHEA to young adult levels may have beneficial effects on age-related conditions. Most clinical trials of DHEA replacement have been limited due to small samples and short duration, restriction to one sex, failure to adjust for baseline endogenous hormone level and age, or lack of placebo comparison groups. We designed a double blind, placebo-controlled randomized trial to determine the acceptability, benefits, and adverse effects of 50 mg daily oral DHEA replacement for one year in 110 men and 115 women, aged 55 to 85, who were healthy and not currently using hormone therapy. A wide range of biological outcomes were studied including bone mineral density and metabolism, body composition and muscle strength, immune function, and cardiovascular risk factors. Steroid hormone levels, bone markers, cytokines, and the IGF-I, IGF binding protein system were measured at baseline and at 3 follow-up clinic visits. Changes in mood and well-being, cognitive function, and sexuality were assessed. Information on potentially confounding covariates such as smoking, alcohol consumption, exercise, diet and dietary supplements were obtained, and potential adverse effects of DHEA administration were monitored. This study enables an examination of the benefits of DHEA administration on the health of older men and women, and the influence of gender, age, and baseline endogenous DHEA level on each outcome variable. Potential mechanisms of DHEA action, including the biotransformation of DHEA to active steroids and steroid metabolites, enhancement of IGF-I bioavailability, and inhibition of IL-6 production can also be evaluated.

Adjuvants, Immunologic↗
PubMed2006

Does coffee consumption reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes in individuals with impaired glucose?

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the association between coffee intake and incident diabetes based on an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) and examine coffee habits in those with impaired glucose separately from those with normal glucose at baseline. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: In this prospective study, 910 adults aged >/=50 years without diabetes at baseline in 1984-1987 were followed to 1992-1996, an average of 8 years after assessment of coffee intake. Logistic regression models were adjusted for sex, age, physical activity, BMI, smoking, alcohol, hypertension, and baseline fasting plasma glucose. RESULTS: Past and current coffee drinkers had a reduced risk of incident diabetes (odds ratio 0.38 [95% CI 0.17-0.87] and 0.36 [0.19-0.68], respectively) compared with those who never drank coffee. The 317 participants with baseline impaired glucose who were past or current coffee drinkers were also at reduced risk for incident diabetes (0.31 [0.11-0.87] and 0.36 [0.16-0.83], respectively). CONCLUSIONS: This study confirms a striking protective effect of caffeinated coffee against incident diabetes and extends these findings to incident diabetes based on OGTT independent of multiple plausible confounders.

Aged↗
PubMed2005

Differences in association of bone mineral density with coronary artery calcification in men and women: the Rancho Bernardo Study.

OBJECTIVE: Whether osteoporosis and calcification of atherosclerotic plaque are two independent, age-related processes or linked by similar mechanisms of bone mineralization and plaque calcification is unknown. This study examines the sex-specific association between bone mineral density (BMD) and coronary artery calcification with a particular focus on hormone therapy (HT). DESIGN: Participants were 180 men (aged 47-86 years) and 186 women (aged 58-81 years) without a history of heart disease who had hip and spine BMD assessed by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry and coronary artery calcium score (CACS) measured by electron-beam computed tomography. Calcium scores were categorized into none/minimal ( or=400). Ordinal and binary logistic regressions examined the associations between site-specific BMD and CACS. RESULTS: In men and women not using HT, there was no age-independent association between BMD at any site and CACS. In contrast, among current HT users an inverse association of BMD with coronary artery calcification was observed at the total hip (odds ratio [OR] = 0.56, 95% CI, 0.33-0.95), trochanter (OR = 0.55, 95% CI, 0.32-0.93), and intertrochanter area (OR = 0.60, 95% CI, 0.41-0.86) after adjustment for age and other risk factors. Other skeletal sites showed similar, but not statistically significant, associations (P < 0.1). CONCLUSION: Lack of association between BMD and CACS in men and women not using HT and the inverse association in women on HT suggest that the association between coronary and bone calcium might be mediated by estrogen.

Absorptiometry, Photon↗
PubMed2005

The effect of condyle fossa relationships on head posture.

Although it is commonly accepted that there is an interrelationship between the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) and head posture, few, if any, previous studies have quantified this effect. The purpose of this study is to quantify the effect of a change in the condyle fossa relationship of symptomatic temporomandibular joints on head posture. Charts of 51 patients (N=10 men and N=41 women) with symptomatic TMJ pathology were reviewed. The condyle fossa relationships were measured pre- and posttreatment using sagittal corrected hypocycloidal tomography. The amount of slant between the shoulder and external auditory meatus (EAM) was measured in pre- and posttreatment photographs as an indicator of forward head posture; less slant indicates better posture. Subjects ranged in age from 13-74 years (mean=43.1) and had been treated for an average of 5 months. Comparisons with pre-treatment measures showed that after treatment, the amount of retrodiskal space was significantly increased by an average of 1.67 mm on the left side (t=-10.11, p<0.0001) and 1.92 mm on the right (t=-9.62, p<0.0001). Comparisons also showed that after treatment, the amount of slant between the shoulder and EAM decreased by 4.43 inches on average which was also significant (t=13.08, p<0.0001). Improvement in the condyle fossa relationship was related to decreased forward head posture. This suggests that optimizing mandibular condyle position should be considered in the management of forward head posture (adaptive posture).

Adolescent↗
PubMed2004

Hysterectomy and oophorectomy are unrelated to bone loss in older women.

OBJECTIVE: The relation of hysterectomy and oophorectomy to change in bone mineral density (BMD) was examined in older women using and not using estrogen replacement therapy (ERT). METHODS: Women aged 60-80 years from the Rancho Bernardo Study attended clinic visits in 1988-1991 and 1992-1995 when hysterectomy and oophorectomy were ascertained, ERT use was validated and spine and hip BMD was assessed at both visits with DEXA. Women were either current ERT users or nonusers at both visits. RESULTS: Among these 447 women, average age was 71 (S.D.=9.0); average years postmenopause was 24.7 (S.D.=10.9). Overall, 122 had a hysterectomy with ovarian conservation and 91 had a hysterectomy with bilateral oophorectomy; 41% reported current ERT use for an average duration of 19.1 years (S.D.=10.8). Hysterectomized women were 2.3 times more likely to report ERT use than intact women (P<0.001). Comparisons adjusted for age, obesity, and age at menopause but not for ERT use showed hysterectomized women had less bone loss per year at the hip than intact women (P<0.05). However, this difference was explained by ERT; after adjustment for ERT, mean hip bone loss per year was -0.57% for intact women, -0.42% for hysterectomized women with ovarian conservation and -0.32% for bilaterally oophorectomized women (P's>0.10). There were no differences by hysterectomy or oophorectomy in bone loss at the spine or femoral neck. For all sites, women using ERT had higher BMD at both visits than nonusers (P's<0.001). Stratification by ERT showed that within users and nonusers, there were no differences in BMD or bone loss at any site by hysterectomy or oophorectomy. CONCLUSIONS: There are no long term effects of hysterectomy and bilateral oophorectomy on bone loss. Women who use ERT have better BMD than nonusers.

Aged↗
PubMed2004

Modifiable predictors of bone loss in older men: a prospective study.

BACKGROUND: The determinants of change in bone mineral density (BMD) have been well characterized in women but not in men. This prospective study describes the patterns of BMD change at the hip and spine, incidence of osteoporosis, and modifiable predictors of bone loss in 507 ambulatory community-dwelling men aged 45 to 92 years. METHODS: Bone mineral density was assessed at the hip and lumbar spine by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) between 1988 and 1992 and again 4 years later. BMD change was examined both as a continuous and a dichotomous (BMD loss vs no change/gain) variable. Incidence of osteoporosis was evaluated based on t -scores. Data were analyzed in 2002. RESULTS: Annual BMD loss averaged 0.47% at the total hip and 0.34% at the femoral neck with an annual average of 0.22% gain at the spine. The rate of BMD loss at the hip and incidence of osteoporosis increased significantly with age. The main predictors of BMD loss were age >/=75 years, baseline BMI <24 kg/m(2), 4-year weight loss of >/=5%, current smoking, and physical inactivity. Moderate alcohol consumption showed some bone-sparing effect. Diuretic and calcium supplement use were not associated with bone loss. CONCLUSIONS: Relatively healthy community-dwelling men lose bone with age, and men aged >/=75 years are particularly vulnerable. Potentially modifiable characteristics such as low body mass, weight loss, smoking, and physical inactivity were important predictors of bone loss and should be considered for the prevention of osteoporosis in men.

Age Factors↗
PubMed2004

Hysterectomy status, estrogen use and quality of life in older women: the Rancho Bernardo study.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the long-term effects of hysterectomy and use of estrogen replacement therapy on health related quality of life and symptom subscales in community dwelling postmenopausal women. METHODS: Information on menopausal history including hysterectomy and oophorectomy status, and history of estrogen use was obtained from a sample of 801 women aged 50-96 years at a clinic visit between 1992 and 1996. Within 1 week of the clinic visit, a standardized, validated quality of well-being (QWB) scale was administered over the telephone by a trained interviewer. RESULTS: Among these women, 25.2% reported hysterectomy with bilateral oophorectomy an average of 28 years earlier, and 11.0% reported hysterectomy with ovarian conservation an average of 26.5 years earlier. Age-adjusted comparisons indicated that women with natural menopause had slightly higher total QWB scores and lower symptom subscale scores than women in either of the hysterectomy groups (p's = 0.06). However, after additional adjustment for estrogen use and other potentially confounding covariates, there was no significant difference in total QWB score or on any subscale scores by hysterectomy and oophorectomy status. After adjustment for age, women who never used estrogen had significantly higher total QWB scores (p = 0.03) and significantly lower symptom subscale scores, indicating fewer symptoms, than those who were past or current users (p = 0.01). These differences persisted after adjustment for age, type of menopause, and behavioral and lifestyle covariates (p's = 0.008). CONCLUSIONS: There are no long-term adverse effects of hysterectomy or bilateral oophorectomy on health related quality of life. Lower total QWB and greater symptom subscale scores by women currently using estrogen may reflect an adverse effect of hormone use on health related quality of life in older postmenopausal women.

Aged↗
PubMed2004

The prospective association of serum insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) and IGF-binding protein-1 levels with all cause and cardiovascular disease mortality in older adults: the Rancho Bernardo Study.

The IGF system has been implicated in cardiovascular disease (CVD) development. The prospective association of serum IGF-I and IGF-binding protein-1 (IGFBP-1) with all cause, ischemic heart disease (IHD), and non-IHD CVD mortality was examined in 633 men and 552 nonestrogen-using postmenopausal women, aged 51-98 yr (mean, 74 yr) in 1988-1992, who were followed through July 2001 (96% follow-up). During the 9- to 13-yr follow-up, there were 522 deaths; 224 were attributed to CVD, and 105 were caused by IHD. IGF-I and IGFBP-1 were independently and jointly related to risk of IHD mortality. In a proportional hazards model including both IGF-I and IGFBP-1 and adjusting for CVD risk factors, the relative risk of IHD mortality was 38% higher for every 40 ng/ml (1 SD) decrease in IGF-I (95% confidence interval, 1.09-1.76; P = 0.005) and 3.11 times greater for those in the lowest quintile of IGFBP-1 (95% confidence interval, 1.74-5.56; P < 0.001) compared with those with higher IGFBP-1 levels. IGF-I and IGFBP-1 (alone or in combination) were not related to risk of all cause or non-IHD CVD mortality. We conclude that low baseline levels of IGF-I and IGFBP-1 increase the risk of fatal IHD among elderly men and women independent of prevalent IHD and CVD risk factors.

Age Factors↗
PubMed2003

Sarcopenia in elderly men and women: the Rancho Bernardo study.

BACKGROUND: Sarcopenia risk factors are poorly understood. METHODS: This study examines sarcopenia prevalence and risk factors in community-dwelling men (694) and women (1006) aged 55-98 years (mean=73) who attended a 1988-1992 Rancho Bernardo Study clinic visit. Height, weight, muscle strength, fat-free mass (FFM), fat mass by bioelectric impedance analysis, and grip strength were measured; alcohol and medication use, smoking, and physical activity were ascertained. RESULTS: Mean FFM was 43.5 kg for women and 61.7 kg for men. Sarcopenia, defined as FFM of > or =2.0 standard deviations below the gender-specific mean of a young reference population, was present in 6.0% overall. Prevalence increased dramatically from 4% of men and 3% of women aged 70-75 to 16% of men and 13% of women aged 85 and older. Both men and women with sarcopenia had a significantly lower fat mass and body mass index than those without sarcopenia. Men with sarcopenia were twice as likely to have fallen in the past year compared with those without sarcopenia. Grip strength, but not quadriceps strength, was lower in men and women with sarcopenia. Physically active women were about half as likely to have sarcopenia, but no association was found in men. Few men and women were current smokers, but they were more likely to have sarcopenia. Comorbidities (heart disease, diabetes, pulmonary disease, arthritis, cancer) and medications (thyroid hormones, corticosteroids, and hormone replacement therapy) were not associated with sarcopenia. CONCLUSIONS: Sarcopenia increases with age. This study also identified lack of physical activity and current smoking as reversible risk factors for sarcopenia.

Aged↗
PubMed2003

Bone mineral density in postmenopausal Caucasian, Filipina, and Hispanic women.

BACKGROUND: Previous bone mineral density (BMD) studies have suggested Asian women have lower BMD and Hispanic women have similar or higher BMD compared with Caucasian women, partially explained by ethnic differences in body size. This study compared the effect of different variables representing body size on BMD in postmenopausal women aged 50-69 years from three ethnic groups in San Diego County, CA: 354 Caucasians, 285 Filipinas, and 164 Hispanics. METHODS: In all three groups, BMD was measured by DXA (Hologic 2000) at the hip, lumbar spine, and total body. Lifestyle variables and anthropometric measures were assessed by standard methodology; medication and supplement use were validated by a nurse. RESULTS: Regardless of the variables used to represent body size in the regression modelling, either body mass index or lean and fat tissue mass, ethnic differences were minimal across the three groups. The only significant differences observed using the two fully adjusted models (age, height, body mass index or lean and fat tissue mass, smoking, alcohol, exercise, current oestrogen and calcium supplement use, and osteoarthritis) were at the total body BMD site where Filipinas had significantly higher BMD than the Caucasians or Hispanics, whose total body BMD was similar to one another. The independent variables in the fully adjusted models explained approximately 20-40% of the variation in BMD at each of the four sites. Income or occupation did not help explain BMD differences, but a pattern of increased BMD among those with some college education in all three groups was observed. CONCLUSIONS: Accounting for body size using either body mass index or fat and lean tissue mass along with height and other lifestyle variables minimizes ethnic differences and explains a considerable amount of variation in mean BMD among older ethnic minority and Caucasian women.

Adult↗
PubMed2002

Coffee consumption and cognitive function among older adults.

This study examined the association of caffeinated and decaffeinated coffee intake with cognitive function in a community-based sample of older adults in 1988-1992. Participants were 890 women with a mean age of 72.6 years and 638 men with a mean age of 73.3 years from the Rancho Bernardo Study. Cognitive function was assessed by 12 standardized tests, and lifetime consumption and current coffee consumption were obtained by questionnaire. After adjustment for confounders, higher lifetime coffee consumption in women was associated with better (p < or = 0.05) performance on six of 12 tests, with a trend (p < or = 0.10) on two other cognitive function tests; current caffeinated coffee intake was associated with better performance on two tests (p < 0.05), with a trend (p < 0.10) on one other test. Among women aged 80 or more years, lifetime coffee intake was nonsignificantly associated with better performance on 11 of the 12 tests. No relation was found between coffee intake and cognitive function among men or between decaffeinated coffee intake and cognitive function in either sex. Lifetime and current exposure to caffeine may be associated with better cognitive performance among women, especially among those aged 80 or more years.

Adult↗
PubMed2002

Apolipoprotein E genotype and response of lipid levels to postmenopausal estrogen use.

The allelic variation of Apolipoprotein E (ApoE) influences serum lipid levels. Postmenopausal estrogen replacement therapy (ERT) has favorable effects on the serum lipid profile. We examined the effect of ApoE genotype on lipid response to ERT in 692 community-dwelling women aged 60 and older. ApoE genotypes were categorized into three groups: ApoE 2 (E2/E2+E2/E3, n=94), ApoE 3 (E3/E3, n=430), and ApoE 4 (E3/E4+E4/E4, n=142). Compared to 497 women not using ERT, 169 women currently using ERT were younger (P=0.01), had lower levels of total cholesterol (TC; P=0.10) and low-density lipoprotein (P<0.001), higher levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL; P<0.001) and triglycerides (TG; P=0.009), and were more likely to have had a surgical menopause (P<0.001). No significant differences in body mass index, alcohol intake, physical activity, or cigarette smoking were found between current ERT users and nonusers (P>0.10). There was a significant interaction between ApoE 2 and ERT for HDL levels: women with ApoE 2 using ERT had the highest HDL levels, and women with ApoE 2 not using ERT had the lowest HDL levels (P=0.015). The unfavorable effect of ApoE 4 genotype on lipoproteins is not altered by HRT, but ApoE 2 genotype modulates the HDL-ERT association in older women.

Adult↗
PubMed2002

Hysterectomy, oophorectomy, and cognitive function in older women.

OBJECTIVES: It has been proposed that estrogen deficiency is a cause of memory loss in postmenopausal women. Bilateral oophorectomy leads to an abrupt decrease in gonadal hormone levels including testosterone. Hysterectomy with ovarian conservation may also lead to a decline in ovarian hormones. This study examines the effects of hysterectomy and oophorectomy on cognitive function in a large sample of older, postmenopausal women with and without current estrogen replacement therapy. DESIGN: Cross-sectional. SETTING: Community-based sample in Southern California. PARTICIPANTS: Subjects were 885 postmenopausal women aged 60 to 89 who were initially enrolled in the Rancho Bernardo Study between 1972 and 1974 and had a follow-up clinic visit in 1988-91. All were Caucasian, middle to upper-middle class, relatively well educated, and ambulatory. MEASUREMENTS: Participants completed 12 standardized tests of cognitive function in 1988-91. Hysterectomy and oophorectomy status were assessed and use of estrogen therapy was also ascertained and validated. RESULTS: Of the 885 women, whose mean age +/- standard deviation was 74.3 +/- 7.5, 225 reported having had a hysterectomy with conservation of one or both ovaries and 190 reported having a hysterectomy with bilateral oophorectomy. Current estrogen use was reported by 35.4%. Among women not using estrogen, there were no significant differences on mean cognitive function scores by hysterectomy and oophorectomy status. Among current estrogen users, after adjustment for age, education, age at menopause, and past estrogen use, those with a hysterectomy and bilateral oophorectomy performed significantly less well on serial sevens and Trails B. These differences, although statistically significant, were small and unlikely to be of clinical significance. No differences in cognitive function were observed between women who had a hysterectomy with ovarian conservation and intact women. CONCLUSIONS: The present study suggests that, overall, there are no long-term effects of hysterectomy and bilateral oophorectomy on cognitive function and does not support the thesis that estrogen deficiency is associated with poor cognitive function in postmenopausal women.

Aged↗
PubMed2002

Hysterectomy status and life satisfaction in older women.

OBJECTIVES: This cross-sectional, population-based study examines the long-term effect of hysterectomy on life satisfaction in 1177 women aged 55-94 years. METHODS: A 1992 mailed survey obtained information on menopausal history, including hysterectomy and oophorectomy status, and estrogen use. Two standardized measures ascertained general life satisfaction: the Life Satisfaction Index-Z (LSI-Z) and the Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS). A separate question asked participants to rate life satisfaction (better, the same, or worse) after menopause or hysterectomy compared with before. RESULTS: Twenty-three percent of the women reported hysterectomy with bilateral oophorectomy an average of 24 years earlier, and 26% reported hysterectomy with ovarian conservation an average of 28 years earlier. Women who were 20 or more years posthysterectomy or postmenopause were significantly more likely to rate their life satisfaction as better than were women 5 or fewer years posthysterectomy or postmenopause (p < 0.01). Among women with a hysterectomy, 53% with oophorectomy and 60% with ovarian conservation rated life satisfaction better after hysterectomy. Only 42.2% of women without a hysterectomy rated life satisfaction as better after menopause (p < 0.001). Differences persisted after adjustment for age and other covariates: p < 0.01 for hysterectomy with ovarian conservation and p < 0.001 for hysterectomy with bilateral oophorectomy vs. no hysterectomy. Even among women who had never used estrogen, a significantly greater proportion of those who had a hysterectomy with ovarian conservation rated their life satisfaction as better compared with women who did not have a hysterectomy (p < 0.05). There were no differences in standard life satisfaction scores (LSI-Z or SWLS) by hysterectomy status. CONCLUSIONS: There are no long-term adverse effects of hysterectomy on life satisfaction. When queried specifically, women report increased life satisfaction following hysterectomy. Relief from symptoms necessitating hysterectomy may be responsible for this increase. This difference may be specific to hysterectomy because there were no differences in general life satisfaction as assessed with standardized measures.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Usual dietary isoflavone intake, bone mineral density, and bone metabolism in postmenopausal women.

Clinical trials of isoflavone supplementation and bone density have been of relatively short duration and yielded inconsistent results. Few studies examined the effects of usual dietary isoflavone intake on bone density, and none examined the effects on markers of bone turnover. This cross-sectional study examines the association of usual, unsupplemented dietary soy intake with bone density at the lumbar spine and hip and markers of bone turnover in postmenopausal women. Participants were 208 postmenopausal Southern California women aged 45-74 years. Information on behavioral and lifestyle factors was obtained, and dietary intake of isoflavones over the past year was assessed with a standardized questionnaire. Bone density was measured at the spine and hip with dual energy x-ray absorptiometry (DEXA). Urinary type I collagen cross-linked N-telopeptides (N-Tx) and pyridinium cross-links (PYR), both markers of bone resorption, and bone alkaline phosphatase (BAP), a marker of bone formation, were assayed. After adjustment for age and obesity, women with the highest daily intake of dietary genistein had N-Tx concentrations 18% lower than those of women who reported no daily genistein consumption (mean 37.29 vs. 45.44, respectively, p = 0.01). After adjustment for all covariates, there were trends toward significant differences in N-Tx (p = 0.09) and spine bone density (p = 0.07), whereby women with the highest level of isoflavone consumption had greater bone density at the spine. These results suggest that usual, unsupplemented dietary isoflavone consumption may be protective against bone loss in postmenopausal women through a reduction in bone resorption.

Aged↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Isoflavones and cognitive function in older women: the SOy and Postmenopausal Health In Aging (SOPHIA) Study.

OBJECTIVE: This study examines the effects of a dietary supplement of isoflavones on cognitive function in postmenopausal women. DESIGN: Participants for this 6-month, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial were women who were in good health, were postmenopausal at least 2 years, and were not using estrogen replacement therapy. Between July 24, 2000, and October 31, 2000, 56 women aged 55 to 74 years were randomized; 2 in the placebo group and 1 in the active treatment group did not complete the 6-month evaluation, and none withdrew because of adverse effects. Women randomized to active treatment (n = 27) took two pills per day, each containing 55 mg of soy-extracted isoflavones (110 mg total isoflavones per day; Healthy Woman: Soy Menopause Supplement, Personal Products Company, McNeil-PPC Inc., Skillman, NJ, USA). Women assigned to placebo (n = 26) took two identical-appearing pills per day containing inert ingredients. Cognitive function tests administered at baseline and follow-up included the following: Trails A and B, category fluency, and logical memory and recall (a paragraph recall test assessing immediate and delayed verbal memory). RESULTS: At baseline, all women were cognitively intact; there were no significant differences by treatment assignment in age, education, depressed mood, or cognitive function (all P values > 0.10). Compliance was 98% and 97%, respectively, in the placebo and treatment groups; all women took at least 85% of their pills. The women in the treatment group did consistently better, both as compared with their own baseline scores and as compared with the placebo group responses at 6 months. Comparisons of percentage change in cognitive function between baseline and follow-up showed greater improvement in category fluency for women on active treatment as compared with the case of those on placebo (P = 0.02) and showed (nonsignificantly) greater improvement on the two other tests of verbal memory and Trails B. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that isoflavone supplementation has a favorable effect on cognitive function, particularly verbal memory, in postmenopausal women.

Age Factors↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Usual dietary isoflavone intake and body composition in postmenopausal women.

OBJECTIVE: Previous studies suggest an association between isoflavone supplementation and improved body composition. The purpose of this study was to investigate the cross-sectional association between isoflavone consumption from a typical Western diet and measures of total body fat, body fat distribution and lean body mass. DESIGN: This study examined 208 healthy, postmenopausal women, aged 45 to 74 years. At screening, demographic and behavioral characteristics and medical history were obtained. One month later, dietary intake for the past year was assessed with a standardized questionnaire. Anthropometric measurements were obtained, and bioelectric impedance was used to measure total body fat (lb) and lean body mass (lb). Isoflavone consumption did not vary by age, smoking, exercise, or daily alcohol intake. RESULTS: A significant inverse relation was shown between genistein consumption and weight, body mass index, waist circumference, and total body fat mass by bioelectric impedance analysis (P < 0.05). These findings remained significant after adjustment for potential confounders. No association was seen, however, between genistein, daidzein, or total isoflavone intake and body fat distribution or lean body mass. CONCLUSION: This study suggests that usual dietary isoflavone intake is associated with reduced total body fat and may consequently have a role in the prevention of chronic disease.

Aged↗