Table of Contents
What Does HRT help with?
The main benefit of HRT is that it can help relieve most menopausal symptoms, including hot flushes, brain fog, joint pains, mood swings and vaginal dryness. It can also help prevent thinning of the bones, which can lead to fractures (osteoporosis). Osteoporosis is more common after the menopause.
What are risk factors of HRT?
Benefits and risks of HRT
- Blood clots (venous thromboembolism) HRT tablets (but not patches or gels) are linked with a higher risk of developing a blood clot.
- Heart disease and stroke (cardiovascular disease) Studies show that:
- Breast cancer.
- Type 2 diabetes.
- Osteoporosis.
- Loss of muscle strength.
- Dementia.
How does HRT decrease the risk of developing osteoporosis?
Hormone replacement therapy is well documented to reduce the increased bone turnover induced by oestrogen deficiency and, as a result, it prevents bone loss after the menopause. It has been shown that this effect leads to a significant reduction in osteoporotic fracture rates.
When should you start HRT?
You can usually begin HRT as soon as you start experiencing menopausal symptoms and will not usually need to have any tests first. A GP can explain the different types of HRT available and help you choose one that’s suitable for you. You’ll usually start with a low dose, which may be increased at a later stage.
What does HRT stand for?
Hormone replacement therapy (or HRT) (also known as menopausal hormone therapy; MHT) is the replacement of female sex hormones oestrogen and progesterone in women to control symptoms of the menopause.
What is HRT made from?
The hormones used in traditional HRT are made from the urine of pregnant horses and other synthetic hormones. Supporters of bioidentical hormones claim their products are safer because they are “natural” and identical in makeup to the hormones the body produces naturally.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of hormone replacement therapy?
There is overwhelming evidence that hormone therapy will protect against both coronary heart disease and stroke, and there is no increased risk of venous thrombosis or hypertension. A disadvantage of hormone replacement therapy is an increased risk of forming gall-bladder stones and undergoing cholecystectomy.
Why Does estrogen help osteoporosis?
Estrogen is a sex hormone that is essential to female bone health because it promotes the activity of osteoblasts, which are cells that produce bone. When estrogen levels drop during menopause, the osteoblasts aren’t able to effectively produce bone.
Does HRT affect bone structure?
Recent data from transgender men (female to male) and women (male to female) receiving hormone therapy have shown an increase in bone mineral density (BMD) after 12 months of treatment [10]. Another study on long-term testosterone therapy reported larger cortical bone size in trans men compared with natal females [11].
How are hormones produced for HRT?
What is EPT and ET?
This is called EPT, for estrogen progestin therapy. EPT is different from ET because EPT refers to a combination therapy of estrogen and progestin, whereas ET refers to estrogen alone. Any literature that uses these terms (HT, ET, or EPT) should explain the abbreviation and its related context.