Menopause Clinical Trials

The menopause transition is associated with a decrease in artery health and an increased risk for weight gain in storing fat in the stomach area which may increase the risk for heart disease. The purpose of this research is to study how the decrease in estrogen at menopause changes artery health and fat gain, and risk of disease in women as they age. The first aim in this study will determine whether short term and long term low estrogen levels in premenopausal women decreases artery function and whether this is related to an increase in fat in the stomach area. The second aim will determine whether the changes in artery health and body fat are related to changes in a pathway that breaks down an important amino acid called tryptophan. This pathway is thought to play a role in regulating the aging process. Therefore, the investigators will determine whether the decrease in artery health and the increase in body fat in the stomach region with low estrogen is related to changes in this pathway in the blood, in vascular cells and fat tissue. Because estrogen levels fluctuate in premenopausal women, the investigators will use an approach (intervention) that controls estrogen levels to address these aims. The investigators will use a medication that is typically used to treat endometriosis or uterine fibroids to lower estrogen levels and an estrogen patch to increase estrogen in some women. Some women will receive a patch that has no estrogen (called a placebo patch). The intervention period will be 20 weeks. The study will provide us with new knowledge on how low estrogen with menopause affects artery health and fat gain estrogen. Read Less

Women who experience hot flashes are at greater risk for hypertension and other cardiovascular disease. Neurovascular control mechanisms are likely to play an important role in this relationship. As such, these studies are designed to provide a major step forward in understanding the link between hot flashes and neurovascular dysfunction and, by extension, cardiovascular disease in women. Read Less

The aim of the present study is to determine if two products can deliver bioequivalent amounts of estrogen (estradiol, estriol, and estrone). Read Less

The purpose is to determine if the two estradiol products can deliver similar amounts of estradiol after single and multiple dosing. Read Less

The purpose of this study is to determine the safety, tolerability, and preliminary effectiveness of NOE-115 on moderate to severe vasomotor symptoms (hot flashes) due to menopause in women. Read Less

This is a cross-sectional study in which the investigators will determine the impact of premature/early menopause on MSNA, BP and baroreflex sensitivity in younger (≤49 yr old) and older (≥50 yr old) women. Specifically, aim one will determine mechanisms driving autonomic dysregulation of BP in premature and early menopausal women and aim two will determine mechanisms driving autonomic dysregulation of BP in older menopausal women. The study design outlined below will permit testing of aim one and aim two. Read Less

The overall objective of the proposed pilot project is to explore health literacy and barriers to management of PCOS across the lifespan and determine whether the cardiometabolic risks of PCOS extend beyond menopause. The investigators hypothesize that barriers to PCOS management exist and cardiometabolic risks for this population are magnified by aging and menopause. Read Less

This is a proof-of-concept phase 2 clinical trial to investigate the safety and effect of the phytoestrogenic supplement PhytoSERM on regional brain metabolism by fluorine-18 fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (18F-FDG-PET) in peri- and postmenopausal women. The investigators hypothesize that there will be a significant difference between the PhytoSERM group and placebo group in glucose brain metabolism. Read Less

Depression is a known risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD), and this comorbidity contributes significantly to the morbidity and mortality of women. The menopausal transition or perimenopause is a period of vulnerability for both depression and CVD, making it a key time to study this critical public health issue. This research will preliminarily explore whether disruption in two novel stress pathways 1) the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) and autonomic nervous system (ANS) and their relationship may underlie the link between these illnesses. Findings will provide important insight into potential mechanisms by which depression during perimenopause may increase risk for CVD in midlife women, which will inform potential risk reduction and treatment strategies that can improve health outcomes in this population. Read Less

The purpose of this research is to determine whether hot water therapy (i.e. taking prolonged hot baths on multiple consecutive days) decreases hot flash symptoms and improves mood in women who are undergoing or who have underwent menopause. It is hypothesized that women who undergo hot water therapy will have reduced hot flash symptoms and improved mood. Initial tracking period: Women who volunteer to participate in this study will be asked to track the frequency and intensity of their hot flash and other menopause-related symptoms for an initial two week period. Afterwards, they will start their heat therapy program. Physiological assessments: On days 1, 7, and 13 of the heat therapy sessions, the participants will enter a climate controlled room to have their thermoregulatory responses assessed. This will consist of slowly walking on a motorized treadmill in 99.5°F (37.5°C) and 30% relative humidity conditions, for 30 min, after which the humidity in the climate chamber will be progressively increased until their core temperature begins to increase (~2 hour total time). Before and/or during these trials, core temperature, heart rate, whole-body sweat losses, thermal comfort, local sweat rate, and skin blood flow will be measured, and a 6 ml (~1 tsp) blood sample will be taken, to assess how the participants respond to the heat stress. These sessions should take less than 3 hours to complete. Hot water therapy sessions: Upon enrolling in the study, the participants will be assigned to one of two groups: water bathing at 105°F or 97°F in the lab. On days 2-6 and 8-12 of the therapy sessions, the participants will immerse themselves to a water level at the shoulders for ~30 min, followed by immersion to the hip level for ~60 min (total immersion time of 90 min). Post-intervention tracking period: after completing the heat therapy sessions, the participants will be asked to continue to take baths at home once every 4 days for 1 month. During this time, the participants will be asked to record the intensity and frequency of their hot flashes daily and other menopause-related symptoms weekly. At the end of this month the participants will be given a final exit survey, in order for them to provide the researchers information about their experience participating in the study. Read Less

The overall objective of the study is to examine the effect of an 8-hour time-restricted eating intervention on lipid levels and body composition in peri- and recently postmenopausal women with untreated dyslipidemia. Read Less

The menopause transition is associated with increased risk for weight gain and a shift toward storing fat in the belly region, which may increase risk for cardiovascular disease and diabetes. The study will determine whether the stress hormone cortisol contributes to this shift. Read Less