title: Effect of exercise combined with phytoestrogens on quality of life in postmenopausal women.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Postmenopausal women seem to favor alternative therapies such as exercise and phytoestrogens as a substitute for potentially harmful hormone replacement therapy. Based on previous research, we hypothesized that phytoestrogens combined with exercise could have a synergic effect on women's health.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To verify whether phytoestrogens enhance the response to mixed training regarding menopausal symptoms and quality of life in postmenopausal women.
  
  
  METHODS
  From a pool of women participating in a 6-month randomized, controlled exercise study, 21 received a placebo (mean age 58.3 ± 5.4 years, body mass index 29.8 ± 5.1 kg/m(2)) and 19 received phytoestrogen supplements (mean age 60.1 ± 3.4 years; body mass index 30.3 ± 4.6 kg/m(2)). Body weight, fat mass and lean body mass (dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry) were assessed. Quality of life was estimated by the Short Form-36 (SF-36) and Perceived Stress Scale-10 (PSS-10) questionnaires, and menopausal symptoms by the Kupperman index. All measurements were performed before and after the intervention.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Although the Kupperman index and PSS-10 remained unchanged in both groups, the SF-36 Physical Component Summary and almost all the SF-36 subscales (except for role-emotional and mental health) increased only in the exercise group taking phytoestrogens (0.001 < p < 0.04).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  While phytoestrogens combined with mixed exercise were not sufficient to improve menopausal symptoms, it seemed to be a better strategy than exercise alone to improve the general quality of life in postmenopausal women.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Physical Education and Sports, University of Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Riesco
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Choquette
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Audet
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Tessier
authors.forename: I J
authors.initials: IJ
authors.lastname: Dionne
mesh_terms: D015992:Body Mass Index; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D019584:Hot Flashes / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000150:complications*; D050177:Overweight / Q000150:complications; D048789:Phytoestrogens / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D010919:Placebos; D017698:Postmenopause; D011788:Quality of Life
chemical_list: D048789:Phytoestrogens; D010919:Placebos