The impact of green propolis on inflammation and cellular damage in overweight postmenopausal women

INTERVENTION: This is a randomized, double‐blind, placebo‐controlled clinical trial with two parallel intervention groups conducted over eight weeks to evaluate the effects of green propolis dry extract supplementation on inflammatory markers, oxidative stress, and body composition in postmenopausal women with overweight and obesity. The sample will consist of fifty women recruited according to eligibility criteria, who will be randomly allocated in a 1:1 ratio using an electronic random number table to ensure equal distribution between groups. Double blinding will be applied so that both participants and researchers responsible for data collection and analysis will be unaware of group allocation. The propolis and placebo capsules will be identical in appearance, color, taste, and odor, and will be identified only by numerical codes. The experimental group will include twenty‐five postmenopausal women with overweight or obesity who will receive supplementation with green propolis dry extract derived from the plant species Baccharis dracunculifolia at a dose of five hundred milligrams per day, administered orally in two capsules of two hundred and fifty milligrams each, one taken after lunch and the other after dinner or an evening snack. The control group will include twenty‐five postmenopausal women with overweight or obesity who will receive an inert placebo composed of corn starch, also at a dose of five hundred milligrams per day, administered orally in two capsules of two hundred and fifty milligrams each, following the same schedule as the experimental group. In both groups, the intervention will last for a total of eight consecutive weeks. Procedures will include venous blood collection at baseline and at the end of the study for laboratory analysis of lipid profile, blood glu CONDITION: Obesity ; Nutritional and Metabolic Diseases PRIMARY OUTCOME: It is expected to find a reduction in the levels of inflammatory markers especially tumor necrosis factor alpha interleukin six and C reactive protein as well as a reduction in oxidative stress measured by nitric oxide concentration these variables will be measured by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay with blood collected at two time points before the intervention and at the end of eight weeks of oral supplementation with green propolis extract or placebo SECONDARY OUTCOME: Improvement in participants body composition with reduction in body weight body mass inde Xand waist circumference measured at the beginning and end of the eight weeks of intervention using a digital scale and standard anthropometric tape biochemical variables of lipid and glycemic profiles will also be assessed including total cholesterol low density lipoprotein cholesterol high density lipoprotein cholesterol triglycerides and fasting blood glucose by blood analysis INCLUSION CRITERIA: Postmenopausal women, according to the guidelines of the United Kingdom's National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (2017); minimum age of 45 years; last menstrual period at least 12 months ago and no use of hormonal contraception; women without a uterus who present vasomotor symptoms characteristic of menopause