Changes in symptoms, lipid and hormone levels after the administration of a cream with phytoestrogens in the Climacteric--preliminary report.
OBJECTIVE: To establish the changes in lipid and hormone levels, as well as in symptoms, after topical application of a cream with phytoestrogens in postmenopausal women. METHODS: 30 postmenopausal women were studied. At baseline and 1 month after the beginning of treatment, levels of FSH, estradiol, estrone, testosterone, androstenedione, dehydroepiandrosterone, total cholesterol, HDL-C, LDL-C, and triglycerides were measured. Climacteric symptoms were evaluated with a modified Kupperman's index (KI). The subjects received a cream with phytoestrogens (n = 15) or placebo (cold cream) (n = 15) in a randomized, double-blind manner. Statistically significant differences were determined by Student's t test. RESULTS: No differences were found in hormones, lipids, or in KI between the groups. When comparing each group separately, only a significant decrease in KI was found, in both groups, at the end of the treatment. CONCLUSIONS: This cream with phytoestrogens had an effect only in climacteric symptoms, but similar to the placebo. The lack of effect in the other variables was probably due to the administration route, or to a lack of effect of this product.