HRT: It Can Be Life Changing for Women

Hormone Replacement Therapy is the gold standard for decreasing hot flashes and night sweats for women in the menopausal transition. Current research also shows that it can be effective in the treatment of many other perimenopausal and postmenopausal symptoms: insomnia, low mood, irritability, apathy, and full blown rage. HRT is also cardio and bone protective.

Currently, however, only about 10% to 15% of women use HRT. This is largely due to the ripple effect of the WHI HRT study which began in 1998 and released its initial findings in 2002. These findings showed that HRT resulted in an increase in blood clots, stroke, and breast cancer. The study concluded that there were more risks than benefits to using HRT, and the study was abruptly stopped.

Since then, the study and its findings have been reevaluated. It is important to note that the women in the study were postmenopausal with an average age of 63 and many of them had preexisting health conditions.

The recommendation today is that HRT is safe for the vast majority of women, if it is started within ten years of reaching menopause and before the age of 60.

Of course, lifestyle factors, such as regular exercise, healthy eating, stress reduction, restful sleep, and social connection are all vital for decreasing symptoms and increasing life satisfaction; however, for women with severe symptoms, these lifestyle factors may not be enough to enable them to function optimally. In these cases, HRT can prove to be transformative.