Walking training and cortisol to DHEA-S ratio in postmenopause: An intervention study.
The literature indicates that the plasma cortisol-to-dehydroepiandrosterone-sulfate (DHEA-S) ratio is a marker of health status after menopause, when a decline in both estrogen and DHEA-S and an increase in cortisol occur. An increase in the cortisol-to-DHEA-S ratio has been positively correlated with metabolic syndrome, all-cause mortality, cancer, and other diseases. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of a walking program on the plasma cortisol-to-DHEA-S ratio in postmenopausal women. Fifty-one postmenopausal women participated in a 13-week supervised walking program, in the metropolitan area of Pescara (Italy), from June to September 2013. Participants were evaluated in April-May and September-October of the same year. The linear mixed model showed that the variation of the log10Cortisol-to-log10DHEA-S ratio was associated with the volume of exercise (p = .03). Participants having lower adherence to the walking program did not have a significantly modified log10Cortisol or log10DHEA-S, while those having the highest adherence had a significant reduction in log10Cortisol (p = .016) and a nearly significant increase in log10DHEA-S (p = .084). Walking training appeared to reduce the plasma log10Cortisol-to-log10DHEA-S ratio, although a minimum level of training was necessary to achieve this significant reduction.
a Endocrine Section, Department of Medicine and Aging Sciences , "G. d'Annunzio" University of Chieti-Pescara , Chieti , Italy.
Andrea
A
Di Blasio
b Human Morphology Section, Department of Medicine and Aging Sciences , "G. d'Annunzio" University of Chieti-Pescara , Chieti , Italy.
Pascal
P
Izzicupo
b Human Morphology Section, Department of Medicine and Aging Sciences , "G. d'Annunzio" University of Chieti-Pescara , Chieti , Italy.
Angela
A
Di Baldassarre
c Department of Neuroscience and Imaging , " G. d'Annunzio" University of Chieti-Pescara , Chieti , Italy.
Sabina
S
Gallina
a Endocrine Section, Department of Medicine and Aging Sciences , "G. d'Annunzio" University of Chieti-Pescara , Chieti , Italy.
Ines
I
Bucci
a Endocrine Section, Department of Medicine and Aging Sciences , "G. d'Annunzio" University of Chieti-Pescara , Chieti , Italy.
Cesidio
C
Giuliani
a Endocrine Section, Department of Medicine and Aging Sciences , "G. d'Annunzio" University of Chieti-Pescara , Chieti , Italy.
Serena
S
Di Santo
d Laboratory of Clinical Epidemiology and Aging, Department of Medicine and Aging Sciences , "G. d'Annunzio" University of Chieti-Pescara , Chieti , Italy.
Angelo
A
Di Iorio
e Department of Clinical and Experimental Sciences , "G. d'Annunzio" University of Chieti-Pescara , Chieti , Italy.
Patrizio
P
Ripari
a Endocrine Section, Department of Medicine and Aging Sciences , "G. d'Annunzio" University of Chieti-Pescara , Chieti , Italy.
Giorgio
G
Napolitano
D019314:Dehydroepiandrosterone Sulfate / Q000097:blood*; D015444:Exercise / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000097:blood*; D007558:Italy; D008593:Menopause; D008875:Middle Aged; D017698:Postmenopause / Q000097:blood*; D016138:Walking / Q000502:physiology*
D019314:Dehydroepiandrosterone Sulfate; D006854:Hydrocortisone
Cortisol; DHEA-S; postmenopause; walking exercise