Research Methods and Procedures:In this cross-sectional study, 22 healthy obese postmenopausal women (mean age, 66 Ϯ 5 years; mean BMI, 27 Ϯ 3 kg/m 2 ) were divided into two groups matched for age (Ϯ2 years) and fat mass (FM) (Ϯ2%). Sarcopenia was defined as a muscle mass index of Ͻ14.30 kg fat-free mass (FFM)/m 2 (which corresponds to 1 standard deviation below the values of a young reference population), and obesity was defined as an FM of Ͼ35% (which corresponds to the World Health Organization guidelines). FM, FFM (measured by DXA), daily energy expenditure (accelerometry), dietary intake (3-day dietary record), and blood biochemical analyses (lipid profile, insulin, glucose, and C-reactive protein) were obtained. Visceral fat mass (VFM) was calculated by the equation of Bertin, which estimates VFM from DXA measurements. Results: Obese women had more FFM (p ϭ 0.006), abdominal FM (p ϭ 0.047), and VFM (p ϭ 0.041) and a worse lipid profile [p ϭ 0.040 for triglycerides; p ϭ 0.004 for high-density lipoprotein (HDL); p ϭ 0.026 for total cholesterol/HDL] than sarcopenic-obese postmenopausal women. Obese women also ingested significantly more animal (p ϭ 0.001) and less vegetal proteins (p ϭ 0.013), although both groups had a similar total protein intake (p ϭ 0.967). Discussion: Sarcopenia seems to be associated with lower risk factors predisposing to CVD in obese postmenopausal women. With the increase in the number of aging people, the health implications of being sarcopenic-obese merit more attention.
Objective: The aim of this study was to verify if six months of isoflavone supplementation could increase fat-free mass (FFM) and muscle mass index (MMI ¼ appendicular FFM/height 2 ) in obese-sarcopenic postmenopausal women. Design: Double-blind randomized study. Subject: Eighteen sarcopenic-obese women completed the study (12 on isoflavones and six on placebo). Body composition was measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Subjects ingested 70 mg of isoflavones per day (44 mg of diadzein, 16 mg glycitein and 10 mg genestein) or a placebo for 24 weeks. Results: The isoflavone group increased significantly appendicular (P ¼ 0.034), leg (P ¼ 0.016) FFM and MMI (P ¼ 0.037), but not the placebo group. Conclusion: Six months of isoflavone supplementation increased FFM and MMI in obese-sarcopenic postmenopausal women.
Compared to an aerobic exercise program alone, 70 mg/day of isoflavones combined with exercise may promote significant improvements in body composition parameters that are known to influence cardiovascular disease risk in postmenopausal women.
Isoflavones given for 6 months should not be considered protective against clinical CVD risk factors in obese postmenopausal women. Nevertheless, further research is needed to verify if isoflavones protect against CVD disease risk factors when administered for a longer duration or when combined with nutritional or exercise interventions. It would also be pertinent to study their effects in women with specific metabolic abnormalities.
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