The Effects of Pumpkin Seed Oil Supplementation on Cardiovascular Function in Postmenopausal Women.

The Effects of Pumpkin Seed Oil Supplementation on Vascular Hemodynamics, Stiffness and Cardiac Autonomic Function in Postmenopausal Women.

Postmenopausal women have a higher prevalence of cardiovascular (CV) disease than age-match men. Growing evidence from rat studies have demonstrated CV-protective effects of pumpkin seed oil (PSO).

The investigators hypothesis is that PSO would improve CV health in postmenopausal women.

The purpose of the study is to examine the effects of 6 weeks of PSO on arterial and autonomic function in postmenopausal women. Specific aims of the study are to:

To investigate the extent to which PSO will improve cardiovascular disease risk factors by assessing arterial stiffness, aortic BP and wave reflection, and autonomic function (heart rate variability).

Inclusion Criteria:

• Female
• 45 to 65 years of age
• At least 1 year after menopause
• BMI <39.9
• Sedentary or low active (less than 2 hr per wk)

Exclusion Criteria:

• known heart disease
• peripheral vascular disease
• diabetes, body mass index
• BMI> 40 kg/m2
• other chronic diseases
• taking medications (e.g., hormone replacement therapy, beta blockers, calcium channel blockers, antidepressants and stimulants) that could affect the outcome variables
• smokers
• history of steady exercise or received exercise training and dietary changes in the last year