Women’s Health Studies

The high incidence of breast cancer in developed and developing countries, and its correlation to cancer-related deaths, has prompted concerned scientists to discover novel alternatives to deal with this challenge. In this review, we will provide a brief overview of polyphenol structures and classifications, as well as on the carcinogenic process. The biology of breast cancer cells will also be discussed. The molecular mechanisms involved in the anti-cancer activities of numerous polyphenols, against a wide range of breast cancer cells, in vitro and in vivo, will be explained in detail. The interplay between autophagy and apoptosis in the anti-cancer activity of polyphenols will also be highlighted. In addition, the potential of polyphenols to target cancer stem cells (CSCs) via various mechanisms will be explained. Recently, the use of natural products as chemotherapeutics and chemopreventive drugs to overcome the side effects and resistance that arise from using chemical-based agents has garnered the attention of the scientific community. Polyphenol research is considered a promising field in the treatment and prevention of breast cancer.

Menopause is natural phenomenon in women that typically occurs in the early 50s. It is associated with additional health issues for women that affect general wellbeing, fitness and quality of life, as well as complicating the aging process. Many menopausal women exercise yet note that results both in the physical as well as psychological dimension lag behind results that were typical or expected before menopause. The current study looked at the impact of a nutritional supplement based upon Bergamot combined with already exercising women, and its’ effect on both physiological and psychological variables. In review, the supplement produced significantly better results in both areas compared to a placebo group in exercise-matched women. This presents a previously untested addition to exercise effectiveness for this group and appears to hold promise for clinicians in the use of polyphenols, and specifically Bergamot with this population. In addition, it supports the use of the specific psychological instrument, the Utian Quality of Life scale, as a measurement tool the clinician can use with menopausal women to measure the changes from various interventions.