AUTHOR=Monda Vincenzo , Salerno Monica , Fiorenzo Moscatelli , Villano Ines , Viggiano Andrea , Sessa Francesco , Triggiani Antonio I. , Cibelli Giuseppe , Valenzano Anna , Marsala Gabriella , Zammit Christian , Ruberto Maria , Messina Giovanni , Monda Marcellino , De Luca Vincenzo , Messina Antonietta 

TITLE=Role of Sex Hormones in the Control of Vegetative and Metabolic Functions of Middle-Aged Women

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Physiology

VOLUME=Volume 8 - 2017

YEAR=2017

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/physiology/articles/10.3389/fphys.2017.00773

DOI=10.3389/fphys.2017.00773

ISSN=1664-042X

ABSTRACT=Aims: In women’s life, menopause is characterized by significant physiological changes often associated with an increase in body weight and obesity-related diseases. Many studies have been carried out to determine interdependencies of estrogen depletion, aging, and resting energy expenditure (REE) decline in menopause-related obesity.
Methodology: In this study, we measured the body composition, the REE, the oxidative stress, the food intake, and the activity of the autonomic nervous system of three groups: pre-menopause women (n=50), post-menopause women following hormone-replacement therapy (HRT; n=50), and post-menopause women not following HRT (n=50).
Results: In post-menopause women with HRT a significant increase was found in: 1) the sympathetic activity, measured by the power spectral analysis of the heart rate variability; 2) REE, measured by indirect calorimetry; 3) oxidative stress, measured by FRAS 4 compared to the value of the other two, while fat mass, measured by BIA, was reduced in favor of a recovery of free fat mass. 
Conclusion: The study highlights the importance of the HRT-related physiological changes that influence body weight in menopause women.