What are the risks of hormone therapy?

What are the disadvantages of hormonal replacement therapy?

bloating. breast tenderness or swelling. swelling in other parts of the body. feeling sick.

What are the long term effects of hormone therapy?

The overall increased risk of serious adverse effects—including breast cancer, stroke, and pulmonary embolism—with long term hormone replacement therapy (HRT) outweighs the potential benefits in disease prevention, warns a review of major trials published last week.

Is hormone therapy a good idea?

The benefits of hormone therapy may outweigh the risks if you're healthy and you: Have moderate to severe hot flashes. Systemic estrogen therapy remains the most effective treatment for the relief of troublesome menopausal hot flashes and night sweats. Have other symptoms of menopause.

How long should you be on hormone therapy?

Most women are able to stop taking HRT after their menopausal symptoms finish, which is usually two to five years after they start (but in some cases this can be longer). Gradually decreasing your HRT dose is usually recommended, rather than stopping suddenly.

Dr. Jewel Kling - What are the risks and benefits of hormone therapy?

What is the primary downside to HRT in adults?

The following risks are associated with HRT: Blood clots in the legs and lungs (similar to the risks associated with taking hormonal birth control) that could result in a stroke. Endometrial cancer if you are taking estrogen-only replacement therapy and you still have your uterus.

What is the downside to taking estrogen?

Known health risks include: An increased risk of endometrial cancer (only if you still have your uterus and are not taking a progestin along with estrogen). Increased risk of blood clots and stroke. Increased chance of gallbladder/gallstone problems.

How can I increase my estrogen naturally?

At what age should you stop taking estrogen?

If you are healthy, most experts agree that HRT is safe to use at the lowest dose that helps for the shortest time needed. If you're 59 or older, or have been on hormones for 5 years, you should talk to your doctor about quitting.

What are the pros of hormone replacement therapy?

Literally hundreds of clinical studies have provided evidence that systemic HT (estrogen with or without progestogen) effectively helps such conditions as hot flashes, vaginal dryness, night sweats, and bone loss. These benefits can lead to improved sleep, and sexual relations, and quality of life.

Is it best to avoid HRT?

Over the last 15 years, these studies, and others, have found little or no evidence that HRT reduces the risk of heart disease. In fact, they have found evidence for an increased risk of blood clots and stroke. They also found an increased risk of breast and ovarian cancer in women using HRT.

Is there natural hormone replacement?

There are two main types of natural hormone replacement therapy (HRT): Bioidentical HRTs involves taking bioidentical plant hormones to correct hormone imbalances. Traditional natural HRTs involves consuming plants or supplements that may help to alleviate hormonal symptoms.

Does vitamin D increase estrogen?

A Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center study involving postmenopausal, overweight, and obese women who took 2,000 IUs of vitamin D daily for a year found that those whose vitamin D blood levels increased the most had the greatest reductions in blood estrogens, which are a known risk factor for breast cancer.

How do you know if you need hormone therapy?

If you are experiencing unexplained depression, anxiety, or fatigue, or even hot flashes, weight gain, and bone loss, then you may be an ideal candidate for hormone replacement therapy. This specialized therapy will address these symptoms and help you start feeling like yourself.

What is an alternative to hormone replacement therapy?

Plant-derived estrogens (phytoestrogens) — Plant-derived estrogens have been marketed as a "natural" or "safer" alternative to hormones for relieving menopausal symptoms. Phytoestrogens are found in many foods, including soybeans, chickpeas, lentils, flaxseed, lentils, grains, fruits, vegetables, and red clover.

What is the safest HRT to take?

So in summary, the safest types of HRT are the oestrogen applied through the skin as a patch, gel or spray with body identical micronised progesterone. Many women also benefit from testosterone, which may help if you're forgetful or having trouble concentrating at work.

Do you live longer if you take HRT?

New research suggests that women on HRT (Hormone Replacement Therapy) are likely to live longer. Not only does the treatment help to relieve the symptoms of menopause, it can also protect against longer-term health risks such as osteoporosis and heart disease, which rise significantly in women over the age of 50.

How can I balance my hormones without HRT?

Do you gain weight on hormone replacement therapy?

There also appears to be a redistribution of fat mass at the time of the menopause, with an increase in the waist-to-hip ratio. Although it is a common belief that HRT inevitably causes weight gain, available evidence suggests that this is not true.

Does HRT help with belly fat?

Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) can affect weight loss in women. In addition to having less abdominal fat, the same study found that women undergoing HRT were almost one whole point lower on the body mass index (BMI) scale, and they had nearly 3 pounds less of fat mass.

Does HRT make you look younger?

By supplementing your body's natural hormone levels, HRT can help you maintain a more youthful body composition. While this effect is particularly evident in men, research suggests that women can also benefit. HRT is also known to help women maintain softer, smoother skin, resulting in a younger look.

Can HRT give you belly fat?

Although it is believed that estrogen therapy (HRT) is a cause of weight gain for women, the researchers say that is not the case, and HRT can help women lose the unwanted belly fat that appears post-menopause.

What vitamins can I take instead of HRT?

Is there a natural estrogen?

Phytoestrogens, also known as dietary estrogen, are naturally occurring plant compounds that may function similarly to the estrogen the human body produces.

What vitamins can increase estrogen?