HRT Not So Safe ?

By Kai Colvin - Senior Medical Research Editor | June 14th, 2012

Both estrogen and progesterone are essential when it comes to the female cycle, and balance is the key. If you have insufficient levels of progesterone to counter excessive estrogen, the imbalance can be further intensified by chronic stress.

As controversy ignites yet another debate on the many studies on hormone replacement therapy (HRT) contradicting one another, attempting to make sense of it all is enough to trigger stress without menopause.

Menopause is the stage in a woman's life when menstruation stops and she can no longer bear children without the aid of IVF egg donation.

The US Preventive Services Task Force is weighing in on hormone replacement therapy with a new report warning women not to use HRT Drug Therapy for long-term use.

The Task Force no longer recommends using hormone replacement therapy (HRT) to prevent chronic disease such as heart disease, osteoporosis, or cognitive decline, in menopausal women, stating the latent harm outweighs any possible benefits

What exactly is HRT? Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is a type of treatment where the body is given hormones to prevent or treat certain medical conditions.

The hormones used in HRT are an artificial hormone, which means they are created in a lab, but they perform just as natural hormones once inside the body. HRT is available as tablets, skin-patches, gels or nasal spray.

"In the face of pretty good evidence, the balance of potential benefits and potential harms leads us not to recommend the use of these therapies," states Dr. Kirsten Bibbins-Domingo, a task force member.

The strategic question placed on the draft recommendations is whether hormone therapy should be used by menopausal women to avoid hypothetical imminent health matters.

"These are women who don't have disease, who don't have menopause symptoms, who are using the therapies only to prevent something that might happen in the future," stated Bibbins-Domingo, an associate professor of medicine, epidemiology and biostatistics at the University of California, San Francisco. "There is no evidence that the therapies would prevent those conditions."

In addition to the relief for menopause symptoms, HRT was utilized years ago to safeguard against these imminent matters such as cardiovascular matters, osteoporosis and dementia.

Emphasized on the American Congress of Obstetrics and Gynecologists website, information warns against hormone therapy for preventing cardiovascular disease. The North American Menopause Society website stresses the same cardiovascular risks and advises that a woman's personal risk factors should play a role in determining whether to proceed with HRT.

So, Is HRT safe?

The bottom line—information from studies on HRT suggests that for most women, the risks of using HRT outweigh the benefits. For a few women, benefits may outweigh the risks. This is why it is important to discuss all possible options and alternatives with your doctor today.

Alternative Way of Life

Lifestyle approaches that can help prevent heart disease naturally include: increasing HDL and lowering triglycerides with exercise, a low-grain diet and an omega-3 supplementation; testing your iron levels; controlling your insulin levels; and sustaining good oral health regimen.

To learn more about Hormone Replacement Therapy, find a doctor in your area.