Effects of a red clover extract (MF11RCE) on endometrium and sex hormones in postmenopausal women

Imhof, Martin; Gocan, Anca; Reithmayr, Franz; Lipovac, Markus; Schimitzek, Claudia; Chedraui, Peter; Huber, Johannes

doi:10.1016/j.maturitas.2006.01.006

« Previous Next »Maturitas
Volume 55, Issue 1 , Pages 76-81, 20 August 2006

Effects of a red clover extract (MF11RCE) on endometrium and sex hormones in postmenopausal women

Martin Imhof
- Division of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Department of Gynecological Endocrinology and Reproductive Medicine, University of Vienna, Währinger Gürtel 18-20, A-1090 Vienna, Austria
- Corresponding author. Tel.: +43 1 40400 2816; fax: +43 1 40400 2817.
Anca Gocan
- Study Center Med XIX Grinzingerstr. 83, A-1190 Vienna, Austria
Franz Reithmayr
- Study Center Med XIX Grinzingerstr. 83, A-1190 Vienna, Austria
Markus Lipovac
- Division of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Department of Gynecological Endocrinology and Reproductive Medicine, University of Vienna, Währinger Gürtel 18-20, A-1090 Vienna, Austria
Claudia Schimitzek
- Division of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Department of Gynecological Endocrinology and Reproductive Medicine, University of Vienna, Währinger Gürtel 18-20, A-1090 Vienna, Austria
Peter Chedraui
- Institute of Biomedicine, Facultad de Ciencias Medicas, Universidad Católica de Santiago de Guayaquil, Av. Carlos Julio Arosemena km 1 1/2, Guayaquil, Ecuador
Johannes Huber
- Division of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Department of Gynecological Endocrinology and Reproductive Medicine, University of Vienna, Währinger Gürtel 18-20, A-1090 Vienna, Austria

Received 4 November 2005; received in revised form 5 January 2006; accepted 6 January 2006.

Abstract

Objective

To evaluate the effects of a non-prescription red clover extract (MF11 RCE, Melbrosin International, Vienna, Austria) on selected sex hormones and endometrium in postmenopausal women.

Patients and methods

One-hundred and nine postmenopausal women with an age ≥40 years were randomly assigned to one of two groups either two capsules of MF11RCE (80mg isoflavone) per day for a 90 day period, or placebo of equal design. After a 7 day washout period, medication was crossed-over for another 90 days.

Results

Combined evaluation demonstrated that supplementation with MF11RCE (verum), in contrast to placebo, significantly increased plasma testosterone levels and decreased endometrial thickness.

Conclusion

MF11RCE exerts a moderate effect on testosterone levels in postmenopausal women, while estradiol levels remained unchanged. The observed reduction of endometrial thickness provides further support for a safe role for isoflavones in terms of endometrial hyperplasia.

Keywords: Isoflavones, Phytoestrogens, Red clover, Menopause, Sex hormones, Endometrium