Cardiometabolic Consequences of the Loss of Ovarian Function
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.
• Age criteria of 20-45 years: the investigators are determining the effects of ovarian suppression on adiposity and vascular in premenopausal women;
• Premenopausal defined as normal menstrual cycle function defined as no more than 1 missed cycle in the previous year: irregular menstrual or missed menstrual cycles could indicate that women are anovulatory and/or perimenopause;
• Not pregnant or planning to become pregnant;
• Not lactating in the last 3 months;
• Serum FSH \<10 IU/L measured during days 1-10 of the menstrual cycle: to ensure the woman is premenopausal and not perimenopausal;
• Not on hormonal contraception in the last 3 months;
• Sedentary or recreationally active (\<2 days/wk vigorous exercise);
• No use of medications that might influence vascular function (i.e., antihypertensives, lipid lowering medications, blood thinners);
• No use of antioxidant supplements or chronic NSAIDs or be willing to go off them for 4 weeks prior to enrollment in the study;