Menopause and oxidative stress

Abstract

In women, postmenopause may be considered the beginning of aging due to a series of changes that are caused by the decline of estrogen levels, some of which involve the skin. It is known that estrogens have an antioxidant activity and function as sex hormone; therefore, a decrease in estrogen levels during the postmenopausal period is one of the factors that control age-related oxidative stress. Oxidative stress refers to a serious imbalance between the oxidant species that are produced by metabolism and the effective action of the antioxidant system, and this imbalance can cause severe oxidative damage in cells. When the levels of these cytotoxic agents increase, serious damage occurs through the oxidative modification of macromolecules such as lipids, proteins, and DNA, and this process occurs more frequently with age. These disturbances may cause skin changes such as dryness, a reduction in epidermal and dermal thickness, a decrease in collagen content, a reduction in elasticity, fragility, and poor healing. Once women begin ovarian senescence, estrogen production becomes erratic, antioxidant protection is lost, and oxidative stress is assumed to increase. In this chapter, we review the general aspects of postmenopause that are linked to oxidative stress and its relationship with skin aging.