Estrogen replacement and exercise capacity in postmenopausal women:: A randomized placebo-controlled study

Objective. We tested the hypothesis that estrogen replacement (2 mg estradiol/day, orally for 90 days) would improve cardiopulmonary and functional capacities in postmenopausal women. Study design. Twenty-three postmenopausal and sedentary women were divided into estrogen replacement (n = 13, 57 +/- 2 years) and placebo control (n= 10, 58 +/- 2 years) groups. They performed a cardiopulmonary exercise test before and after the intervention. Results. Baseline measurements were similar between groups. Blood pressure and heart rate at rest and during exercise were unchanged by estrogen treatment, and estrogen did not alter pulmonary measurements at rest and during exercise. Oxygen consumption at anaerobic threshold, respiratory compensation point and peak exercise were lower after estrogen replacement, despite the unchanged workload and exercise time to exhaustion. In the placebo control group, no change in peak oxygen consumption, workload and time to exhaustion was found. Conclusions. Estrogen does not change cardiopulmonary responses to submaximal and maximal exercise in postmenopausal women. In addition, estrogen fails to improve exercise capacity in postmenopausal women.