Słojewska K, Galbarczyk A, Klimek M, Tubek-Krokosz A, Krzych-Miłkowska K, Szklarczyk J, Mijas M, Ścibor M, Jasienska G. Higher number of steps is related to lower endogenous progesterone but not estradiol levels in women.
PLoS One 2024;
19:e0299580. [PMID:
38573970 PMCID:
PMC10994375 DOI:
10.1371/journal.pone.0299580]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2023] [Accepted: 02/13/2024] [Indexed: 04/06/2024] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES
Sex steroid hormones are important not only for reproduction but also for many aspects of women's health, including the risk of breast cancer. Physical activity has been shown to influence sex hormone levels in women. This study aimed to investigate a relationship between the average daily number of steps and the sex hormone (estradiol and progesterone) levels in premenopausal women.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Data were collected from 85 healthy, urban women of reproductive age who performed at least 180 minutes/week of moderate physical activity for two complete menstrual cycles. Physical activity was measured using wrist bands. Estradiol and progesterone concentrations were measured in daily-collected saliva samples in the second menstrual cycle.
RESULTS
There was a significant negative association between the average number of steps taken daily and salivary progesterone levels after adjusting for potential confounding factors (age, BMI). Women who took more than 10,000 steps a day had significantly lower progesterone levels compared to women who took less than 10,000 steps. The association between physical activity and estradiol levels was statistically insignificant.
DISCUSSION
Our results indicate that taking at least 10,000 steps a day reduces progesterone levels, but this intensity of physical activity may not be high enough to affect estradiol levels. Daily step tracking is a valuable element of health promotion, but currently recommended levels of physical activity may not be high enough for healthy premenopausal women to significantly reduce both sex hormone levels and thus their risk of postmenopausal breast cancer.
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