The effect of menopause and hormone replacement therapy on the leptin-fat mass relationship / by Suzanne N. Gardiner.
| Author/creator | Gardiner, Suzanne N. author. |
| Other author | Hickey, Matthew S., degree supervisor. |
| Other author | East Carolina University. Department of Exercise and Sport Science. |
| Format | Theses and dissertations |
| Production | 1997. |
| Description | viii, 68 leaves : illustrations, forms ; 28 cm |
| Supplemental Content | Access via ScholarShip |
| Subjects |
| General note | Submitted to the faculty of the Department of Exercise and Sport Science. |
| General note | Advisor: Matthew S. Hickey |
| General note | The purpose of this thesis was to investigate the role of ovarian hormones, more specifically estrogen and progesterone, in the regulation of systemic leptin levels in pre- and postmenopausal women. Forty-five women were separated, based upon menopausal status, into either a pre- or postmenopausal group. The postmenopausal subjects were further divided into groups based on whether or not they were using hormone replacement therapy. All subjects underwent a fitness assessment where physical characteristics such as height, weight, percent body fat were determined. In addition all subjects had blood drawn and performed a maximal graded exercise stress test. Blood samples were analyzed for leptin. estradiol, progesterone, insulin, and glucose levels as well as a complete lipid profile. As expected, there were no significant differences in physical characteristics, other than age. In addition there were no significant differences (P[less-than]0.05) in leptin, progesterone, insulin and glucose levels. There were significant differences P[less-than]0.05 in estradiol levels between the premenopausal group and both postmenopausal groups. There was also a significant difference in estradiol levels between the postmenopausal groups. Differences in estradiol levels are explained by menopausal status and usage of hormone replacement therapy . Significant differences were not seen in lipid profiles other than total cholesterol/HDL ratio and triglyceride levels. These findings are outside the scope of this study and therefore are not discussed other than to hypothesize that this finding may be due to the tight control in physical characteristics; and suggests that the degrading lipid profiles seen with aging may be due to changes in physical characteristics and not menopause per se. In conclusion, leptin levels were not influenced by ovarian hormones. Therefore, these hormones are not responsible for the gender dichotomy and the mechanism remains unknown. |
| Dissertation note | M.A. East Carolina University 1997 |
| Bibliography note | Includes bibliographical references (leaves 53-59). |
| Genre/form | Academic theses. |
| Genre/form | Academic theses. |
| Genre/form | Thèses et écrits académiques. |