Effect of hops extract supplementation on cardiovascular risk markers in obese and diabetic postmenopausal women

Abstract

[eng] Obesity and type 2 diabetes mellitus, often termed diabesity, are two of the most prevalent diseases worldwide, and are often deemed as the world’s largest epidemic. Increased adiposity has detrimental effects on the cardiovascular system, increasing risk of developing cardiovascular diseases (CVD) such as coronary heart disease or atherosclerosis. In general, incidence of CVD is lower in women than in men. However, risk increases after menopause, a shift which is often attributed to lower oestrogen levels after menopause, therefore suggesting that oestrogen has a protective role on the cardiovascular system in women. Hormone replacement therapy, consisting of administering both oestrogen and progesterone to postmenopausal women, has been exploited to alleviate menopause symptoms such as hot flushes or osteoporosis. However, some large epidemiological studies demonstrate that hormone replacement therapy may be detrimental to the cardiovascular system. For this reason, phytoestrogens have been considered as a safer alternative due to their structural similarities to oestrogen and their potential beneficial roles on the cardiovascular system and cardiovascular disease risk factors. The phytoestrogens in Hops (Humulus Lupulus), a key ingredient in beer brewing, specifically 8-prenylnaringenin, have been shown to have antidiabetic properties, improve endothelial function and lipid profiles, and improve glucose tolerance and insulin resistance in both in vitro and in vivo studies, as well as in several epidemiological studies. For this reason, we hypothesise whether Hops supplementation in postmenopausal obese and diabetic women, a high-risk group for cardiovascular disease, can ameliorate and have beneficial effects on the risk of cardiovascular disease.