title: Greek-origin royal jelly improves the lipid profile of postmenopausal women.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Menopause transition is associated with chronic conditions such as osteoporosis and cardiovascular disease. Concerns about the long-term safety of menopausal hormone therapy make alternative natural methods an appealing approach to management. The aim of this study was to examine the effect of royal jelly (RJ) on cardiovascular and bone turnover markers in clinically healthy postmenopausal women.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 36 postmenopausal healthy women were studied in a prospective follow-up study. Participants received 150 mg of RJ daily for three months. Circulating cardiovascular risk markers [lipid profile, antithrombin-III (ATIII), Protein C, Protein S, Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor-1 (PAI-1)] and bone turnover parameters [Total calcium, phosphate (P), parathormone (PTH), total type-1 Procollagen N-terminal (P1NP), Osteocalcin and serum collagen type 1 cross-linked C-telopeptide (CTX)] were compared between the baseline and the three-month visit.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The RJ used in this study was particularly rich in medium chain fatty acids, compounds with hypolipidemic properties, which comprised 63% of the dry weight fatty content. RJ treatment resulted in a significant increase in high density lipoprotein - cholesterol (HDL-C 60.2 mg/dL ± 12.3 versus 64.7 mg/dL ± 13.9, 7.7% increase, p = 0.0003), as well as in a significant decrease in low density lipoprotein - cholesterol (LDL-C, 143.9 ± 37.5 versus 136.2 ± 32, 4.1% decrease, p = 0.011) and in total cholesterol (224.4 ± 38.6 to 216.1 ± 36.5, 3.09% decrease, p = 0.018). No statistical significant changes were found in the remaining cardiovascular or the bone turnover parameters.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The intake of RJ 150 mg for three months is associated with significant improvements of the lipid profile of postmenopausal women. RJ supplementation may offer an alternative method of controlling the menopause - associated dyslipidemia.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology , University of Athens, Aretaieio Hospital , Athens , Greece.
authors.forename: Irene
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Lambrinoudaki
authors.affiliation: a Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology , University of Athens, Aretaieio Hospital , Athens , Greece.
authors.forename: Areti
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Augoulea
authors.affiliation: b Hormonal and Biochemical Laboratory, University of Athens, Aretaieio Hospital , Athens , Greece.
authors.forename: Demetrios
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Rizos
authors.affiliation: c Department of Haematology , University of Athens, Aretaieio Hospital , Athens , Greece.
authors.forename: Marianna
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Politi
authors.affiliation: a Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology , University of Athens, Aretaieio Hospital , Athens , Greece.
authors.forename: Nikolaos
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Tsoltos
authors.affiliation: a Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology , University of Athens, Aretaieio Hospital , Athens , Greece.
authors.forename: Michail
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Moros
authors.affiliation: d Division of Pharmacognosy & Chemistry of Natural Products , Department of Pharmacy, School of Health Sciences, University of Athens, Panepistimiopolis-Zografou , Athens , Greece , and.
authors.forename: Ioanna
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Chinou
authors.affiliation: d Division of Pharmacognosy & Chemistry of Natural Products , Department of Pharmacy, School of Health Sciences, University of Athens, Panepistimiopolis-Zografou , Athens , Greece , and.
authors.forename: Konstantia
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Graikou
authors.affiliation: b Hormonal and Biochemical Laboratory, University of Athens, Aretaieio Hospital , Athens , Greece.
authors.forename: Evangelia
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kouskouni
authors.affiliation: a Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology , University of Athens, Aretaieio Hospital , Athens , Greece.
authors.forename: Susana
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kambani
authors.affiliation: a Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology , University of Athens, Aretaieio Hospital , Athens , Greece.
authors.forename: Konstantinos
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Panoulis
authors.affiliation: e Department of Clinical Biochemistry , Medical School, University of Athens, Attiko Hospital , Athens , Greece.
authors.forename: Paraskevi
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Moutsatsou
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000097:blood* / Q000517:prevention & control; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood*; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006115:Greece; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D017698:Postmenopause / Q000097:blood* / Q000187:drug effects; D000099219:Royal Jelly
chemical_list: D002784:Cholesterol; D005227:Fatty Acids; D000099219:Royal Jelly
keywords: Cardiovascular; cholesterol; menopause; osteoporosis; royal jelly