TY - JOUR

T1 - Short-term supplementation with fermented red clover extract reduces vascular inflammation in early post-menopausal women

AU - Wickham, Kate Aiko

AU - Nørregaard, Line Boel

AU - Oxfeldt, Mikkel

AU - Cheung, Stephen S

AU - Gliemann, Lasse

AU - Hansen, Mette

AU - Hellsten, Ylva

N1 - Copyright © 2022 Wickham, Nørregaard, Oxfeldt, Cheung, Gliemann, Hansen and Hellsten.

PY - 2022

Y1 - 2022

N2 - The decline in estrogen at menopause poses a critical challenge to cardiovascular and metabolic health. Recently, a growing interest in the role of phytoestrogens, with a particular focus on isoflavones, has emerged as they can bind to estrogen receptors and may mimic the roles of endogenous estrogen. Fermented red clover extract (RC) contains isoflavones with superior bioavailability compared to non-fermented isoflavones, however little is known regarding the impact of isoflavones on cardiovascular and metabolic health. We assessed markers of vascular health in plasma and skeletal muscle samples obtained from healthy but sedentary early post-menopausal women (n = 10; 54 ± 4 years) following 2 weeks of twice daily treatment with placebo (PLA) or RC (60 mg isoflavones per day). The two interventions were administered using a randomized, double-blind, crossover design with a two-week washout period. Plasma samples were utilized for assessment of markers of vascular inflammation. There was a statistically significant reduction (~5.4%) in vascular cell adhesion molecule 1 (VCAM-1) following 2 weeks of RC supplementation compared to PLA (p = 0.03). In contrast, there was no effect of RC supplementation compared to PLA on skeletal muscle estrogen receptor content and enzymes related to vascular function, and angiogenesis. Supplementation with RC reduces vascular inflammation in early post-menopausal women and future studies should address the long-term impact of daily supplementation with RC after menopause.

AB - The decline in estrogen at menopause poses a critical challenge to cardiovascular and metabolic health. Recently, a growing interest in the role of phytoestrogens, with a particular focus on isoflavones, has emerged as they can bind to estrogen receptors and may mimic the roles of endogenous estrogen. Fermented red clover extract (RC) contains isoflavones with superior bioavailability compared to non-fermented isoflavones, however little is known regarding the impact of isoflavones on cardiovascular and metabolic health. We assessed markers of vascular health in plasma and skeletal muscle samples obtained from healthy but sedentary early post-menopausal women (n = 10; 54 ± 4 years) following 2 weeks of twice daily treatment with placebo (PLA) or RC (60 mg isoflavones per day). The two interventions were administered using a randomized, double-blind, crossover design with a two-week washout period. Plasma samples were utilized for assessment of markers of vascular inflammation. There was a statistically significant reduction (~5.4%) in vascular cell adhesion molecule 1 (VCAM-1) following 2 weeks of RC supplementation compared to PLA (p = 0.03). In contrast, there was no effect of RC supplementation compared to PLA on skeletal muscle estrogen receptor content and enzymes related to vascular function, and angiogenesis. Supplementation with RC reduces vascular inflammation in early post-menopausal women and future studies should address the long-term impact of daily supplementation with RC after menopause.

KW - Faculty of Science

KW - Fermented red clover

KW - Phytoestrogen

KW - Isoflavones

KW - Post-menopausal women

KW - Supplementation

KW - Cardiovascular health

KW - Vascular inflammation

KW - Skeletal muscle microcirculation

U2 - 10.3389/fcvm.2022.826959

DO - 10.3389/fcvm.2022.826959

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 35224058

VL - 9

JO - Frontiers in Cardiovascular Medicine

JF - Frontiers in Cardiovascular Medicine

SN - 2297-055X

M1 - 826959

ER -