OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of 12 weeks of moderate intensity aerobic exercise on echocardiographic and cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) parameters, lymphocyte estrogen receptor alpha (ERalpha) gene expression and sex hormones (17beta-estradiol and progesterone) in overweight/obese postmenopausal women (OPMW). METHODS: Twenty-seven sedentary OPMW aged 45 to 65 years old were randomly assigned to exercise (EX, n = 14) and control (C, n = 13) groups. The EX group performed warm up-walking/jogging moderate intensity aerobic exercise program- recovery (60 min/day, 3 days/week at 70 % of maximal heart rate reserve for 12 weeks) while the C group participated in no intervention and maintained their daily physical activity level, sedentary normal lifestyle and dietary habits during 12-week. The lymphocyte ERalpha gene expression, serum levels of 17beta-estradiol and progesterone, and CRF and echocardiographic parameters were measured at baseline and week-12. RESULTS: After 12-week, the increase in ERalpha gene expression (p = 0.009, estimate of effect size/Eta 28.2 %), VO2max (p = 0.001, Eta 53.4%), walking-jogging time to exhaustion (WJTE) (p = 0.001, Eta 55.1 %), metabolic equivalent of task (METs) (p = 0.001, Eta 97.9 %), left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) (p = 0.001, Eta 53.6%), cardiac output (Q) (p = 0.036, Eta 22.3%), and cardiac index (p = 0.030, Eta 22.5%) were significantly higher in the EX group compared to the C group, whereas body fat (p = 0.023, Eta 25.7 %), left ventricular end-systolic diameter (LVESD) (p = 0.013, Eta 28.3%), and mitral E-wave deceleration time (E-wave D time) (p = 0.007, Eta 32.1%) were significantly decreased. CONCLUSIONS: The results suggested that moderate intensity aerobic exercise can be improved cardiac function such as LVEF, Q, cardiac index, LVESD, and E-wave D time, CRF, ERalpha-mRNA gene expression as well as maintained sex hormones among sedentary OPMW during menopause, as these positive cellular and molecular or physiological adaptations may be signs of cardioprotective effects by aerobic exercise.

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