Stroke, blood clots, and heart attack. Women who took either combined hormone therapy or estrogen alone had an increased risk of stroke, blood clots, and heart attack (1, 2). For women in both groups, however, this risk returned to normal levels after they stopped taking the medication (3, 4).
If you're younger than age 45, you need enough estrogen to provide protection against the long-term health effects of estrogen deficiency. If you have lasting menopausal symptoms that significantly impair your quality of life, your doctor may recommend longer term treatment. Seek regular follow-up care.
Tell your doctor if you have had a heart attack or a stroke, if you or anyone in your family has or has ever had blood clots or breast cancer. or if you have any condition that increases the risk that you will develop blood clots. Your doctor may tell you not to use vaginal estrogen.
Taking estrogen can relieve some symptoms, such as hot flashes, low energy, insomnia, and mental fogginess. It may also protect your heart and bones, because estrogen plays a role in heart and bone health as well as reproductive function. However, not all women should take estrogen.
Estrogen promotes the storage of fat for healthy reproductive years. When estrogen is balanced, the right amount of fat helps carry out female reproductive functions. However, when there's too little or too much estrogen, weight gain often results.
Traditional natural hormone replacement therapies
Some plants and supplements that people may take to treat hormonal symptoms include: phytoestrogens, which are dietary estrogens found in legumes, seeds, and whole grains. folate (vitamin B-9 or folic acid)
Stroke, blood clots, and heart attack.
Women who took either combined hormone therapy or estrogen alone had an increased risk of stroke, blood clots, and heart attack (1, 2). For women in both groups, however, this risk returned to normal levels after they stopped taking the medication (3, 4).
And how do you go about it? 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.
Estrogen can reduce menopausal symptoms like hot flashes, night sweats and vaginal dryness. If you have a uterus, you'll likely need to take progesterone along with the estrogen. Estrogen without progesterone increases the risk of uterine cancer.
Current guidelines indicate that it's okay to take estrogen and progesterone for a short time to help with the transition to menopause — and there are ongoing studies investigating the efficacy and safety of different estrogen and progesterone formulations that could potentially be used for longer periods of time.
Natural and synthetic estrogen may cause the following common adverse effects: breast tenderness, nausea, vomiting, bloating, stomach cramps, headaches, weight gain, hyperpigmentation of the skin, hair loss, vaginal itching, abnormal uterine bleeding, also known as breakthrough bleeding, and anaphylaxis.
Genes associated with follicle growth were not significantly altered by vitamin D3. However, it increases expression of genes involved in the estrogen-biosynthesis. Further, estrogen concentrations in porcine granulosa cell-cultured media increased in response to vitamin D3.
And the continued low estrogen levels lead to more serious health concerns. The rate of bone loss speeds up, increasing your risk of low bone density, osteopenia and osteoporosis. You also have a higher chance of having a heart attack, stroke or other heart-related issues.
Hormone replacement therapy and breast cancer risk
Because of this risk, doctors usually recommend that women with a history of breast cancer should not take types of HRT that affect the entire body (called systemic HRT). HRT has also been linked to cardiovascular risks, such as heart disease, stroke, and blood clots.
Most women continue treatment for 2-3 years to decrease symptoms of menopause or other hormonal changes. However, there is no limit on how long you can continue treatment if you are happy with the results.
There is good news for older women age who are experiencing menopause symptoms like hot flashes and night sweats. You can safely get relief with hormone therapy (HT), according to the North American Menopause Society (NAMS).
Estrogen therapy (ET) replaces some or all of the estrogen that your ovaries would be making until menopause. Without estrogen, you are at risk for weak bones later in life, which can lead to osteoporosis.
Mindfulness, meditation and cognitive training may improve member and thinking. Hypnosis, yoga, or acupuncture may relieve hot flashes and improve memory and sleep quality. Products such as handheld fans and "chillows" that reduce body temperature have been helpful for some women who experience hot flashes.
HRT is also known to help women maintain softer, smoother skin, resulting in a younger look. In addition to—and, often, as a result of—these physical changes, HRT often changes how you see yourself.
How Estrogen Replacement Therapy Can Help with Belly Fat During Menopause. Recent studies show that menopausal women on hormone therapy tend to have less body fat, especially visceral belly fat. Because estrogen affects how your body distributes fat, low estrogen levels can contribute to gaining fat in your belly area.