Many factors can affect how well HRT works - from health and lifestyle changes to human error and bad habits. Some health conditions can mimic menopause symptoms – for example high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, thyroid and heart conditions. If significant symptoms are occurring see your GP for a check-up.
Make healthy lifestyle choices.
Include physical activity and exercise in your daily routine, eat a healthy diet, maintain a healthy weight, don't smoke, limit alcohol, manage stress, and manage chronic health conditions, such as high cholesterol or high blood pressure.
Grains, with at least half being whole grains. A variety of protein foods, such as lean meats, poultry, eggs, and seafood, as well as plant-based proteins such as beans, peas, lentils, nuts, and seeds. Low-fat or fat-free dairy such as milk, yogurt, and cheese or lactose-free versions of dairy products.
Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) slightly increases the risk of breast cancer, ovarian cancer, and sometimes womb cancer.
While you may start feeling a difference within a few days or weeks, it usually takes longer for HRT to achieve its full effects. Three to six months is a reasonable trial period for systemic HRT, which includes pills, patches, sprays and gels. If you haven't seen an improvement by this point, speak to your doctor.
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.
Many women actually find that they lose weight by using HRT as it shifts the metabolism back into a pre-menopausal metabolic state. Progesterone can sometimes cause fluid retention which can mimic weight gain, but there are alterations that can be made to the regime to minimise this impact.
This is a common misconception – but the good news is, HRT does not cause weight gain! If you find that your weight is changing rapidly or if you're struggling to lose or gain weight, it's worth checking in with your doctor.
Several studies have found that menopausal HRT can have a big impact not only on weight loss, but also how much fat your body stores and where.
Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) remains the gold standard of treatments for menopausal symptoms since it directly addresses their root cause: changing hormone levels. Thus, HRT may effectively treat fatigue and the symptoms that can exacerbate it.
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.
If you have HRT to help with menopausal symptoms, you should take it for 2 to 3 years. To get the best benefit in reducing the risk of osteoporosis, you need to take HRT for at least 5 years. If you had an early menopause or surgery to remove your ovaries, the time is not counted until you reach the age of 50.
Vitamin D3 supplementation increased 25OHD concentrations, but did not affect calcitriol concentrations even though the initial levels were low. Interestingly, the combination of HRT and vitamin D3 did not increase serum calcitriol concentrations as much as HRT alone.
Progestogens. Some women feel more side effects when they are taking the progestogen part of their HRT. This includes taking Utrogestan, or norethisterone in the Evorel Conti patches of the Evorel Sequi or Conti box. You may feel 'premenstrual' with bloating, headaches and/or irritability.
You may feel bloated and uncomfortable like having trapped wind. This can be due to the progesterone and usually settles with time.
Immediate results are what we all want, but the benefits of HRT take a little time. While many people notice improvements in sleep or mood within weeks of starting HRT, changes like improved muscle mass or fat loss can take at least three to six months.
There is no easy answer, but rebalancing the hormones, exercise routine and diet can help to increase your metabolic rate, which will ensure fat is burned more efficiently. Reducing overall stress in your life can help too, because stress can cause increased amounts of cortisol to be released.
HRT is known to improve sleep, mood and hot flushes, all of which may disrupt your sleep and lead to tiredness. However, HRT comes with risks and is not suitable for everyone.
Research says yes. Many studies have consistently shown a benefit of HRT on sleep in women who have vasomotor symptoms, when the vasomotor symptoms are causing the sleep disturbance. The main part of HRT is estrogen, to treat symptoms caused by estrogen deficiency.
The body will begin to burn the fat located in the waist, shoulders and back. The majority of the fat will migrate to the hips, thighs and buttocks, which may result in a smaller waist and larger hips.
Start with a mix of moderate and vigorous exercise to burn off menopausal weight gain. Your routine should include aerobic exercises like swimming, walking, bicycling, and running, as well as resistance or strength training. “What you want to employ now is high-intensity interval training (HIIT),” Dr. Peeke says.
Some women find that when they stop taking HRT after just a few years, they have no more symptoms. Other women have a return of their symptoms when they stop taking HRT. There is no set length of time you should take HRT for; it is an individual decision between yourself and your doctor or nurse.
All women taking HRT should have an annual review with their doctor or nurse. If you continue to be healthy and feel the benefits of taking HRT, there is no reason for stopping it. Women are often surprised when their menopausal symptoms return after coming off HRT, even those women that have taken it for many years.
More serious risks
HRT has also been associated with a small increase in the risk of blood clots and breast cancer. Find out more about the benefits and risks of HRT.