Close X
Wednesday, November 13, 2024
ADVT 
Health

Estrogen protects some women against heart disease

Darpan News Desk IANS, 14 Nov, 2014 11:13 AM
    Estrogens, also referred to as female sex hormones, have been thought to protect women from heart diseases and researchers have now found how they do so.
     
    An estrogen receptor, previously shown to regulate blood pressure in women, also plays an important role in regulating levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, also known as bad cholesterol that drives the process that leads to heart disease, the findings showed.
     
    "This is a really important finding because there has always been some indication that estrogen was protective in lowering cholesterol, but we did not understand how," said Ross Feldman from Western University in Canada.
     
    "The mechanism of estrogen's effect was kind of a black box because we didn't know the receptors responsible for doing it," Feldman added.
     
    The findings could help explain why post-menopausal women with lower levels of estrogen are more likely to have multiple risk factors for heart disease.
     
    The study looked at two populations of women in Canada.
     
    The researchers showed that the G-protein coupled estrogen receptor 30 (GPER) when activated by estrogen helps lower LDL cholesterol levels in the blood by inhibiting the protein PCSK-9.
     
    This finding provides evidence that the hormone estrogen plays a key role in regulating two of the most common risk factors for heart disease and stroke. 
     
    The study is forthcoming in the journal Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis and Vascular Biology.

    MORE Health ARTICLES

    Oral cancer virus spreads via oral, genital route

    Oral cancer virus spreads via oral, genital route
    Transmission of human papillomavirus (HPV) occurs via oral-oral and oral-genital routes, says new research....

    Oral cancer virus spreads via oral, genital route

    A virus that could affect brain's activities

    A virus that could affect brain's activities
    People with algae virus in their throats had more difficulty completing a mental exercise than healthy people, and more research is needed to understand why...

    A virus that could affect brain's activities

    How mucus in mouth naturally fight cavities

    How mucus in mouth naturally fight cavities
    Salivary mucins, key components of mucus, actively protect the teeth from cavity-causing bacteria, new research shows....

    How mucus in mouth naturally fight cavities

    Television viewing to help detect eye diseases

    Television viewing to help detect eye diseases
    Mapping how your eyes respond to watching television can lead to early detection of diseases such as glaucoma, one of the leading causes of blindness worldwide, research shows....

    Television viewing to help detect eye diseases

    Cow's milk can deliver AIDS drug to infants

    Cow's milk can deliver AIDS drug to infants
    A milk powder containing anti-retroviral drugs, which are not very soluble in water, can help better treat and prevent HIV infection in babies, research shows....

    Cow's milk can deliver AIDS drug to infants

    Veterinarians' Group Issues Advice On Quarantine And Handling Pets That May Catch Ebola

    Veterinarians' Group Issues Advice On Quarantine And Handling Pets That May Catch Ebola
    NEW YORK — A veterinarians' group has put out guidance on handling pets that may have been infected by Ebola. It says that if an animal tests positive, it should be euthanized.

    Veterinarians' Group Issues Advice On Quarantine And Handling Pets That May Catch Ebola