Is It Ever Too Late for Hormone Replacement?
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Dr. Susan Hardwick-Smith explains:
The short answer is “no”
The famous (and since, discredited) Women’s Health Initiative (WHI) Study caused widespread fear about hormone therapy some decades ago. It looked at older women (average age 63) and used outdated, pro-inflammatory hormone types (conjugated equine estrogens such as Premarin and Provera, rather than modern bioidentical estrogen). This, along with some bad science when it came to calculating cancer risk, led to the misconception that menopausal hormone therapy (MHT) should stop at 60 or after 10 years, or perhaps even be avoided entirely.
Corrected analysis shows that women under 60 in the WHI study actually had a reduced risk of heart disease, even with older hormone types. Women over 60 saw a slight initial increase in heart disease risk, due to pre-existing conditions rather than the hormones themselves. Another large study confirmed that starting MHT within six years of menopause reduces heart disease risk, while starting after ten years has a neutral effect—neither harmful nor beneficial, in terms of heart health.
Modern bioidentical estrogen is highly protective for the heart, brain, and bones, especially when started early. Transdermal estrogen (patch, gel) is even safer than oral estrogen.
Bioidentical estrogen also improves vascular health, reducing the risk of Alzheimer’s and dementia when started early.
Stopping hormone therapy at a certain age is unnecessary. If MHT was started early, it should continue, as stopping increases risks of osteoporosis, heart disease, and cognitive decline. The only major reason to stop would be an estrogen-sensitive breast cancer diagnosis.
For more on all of this, enjoy:
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Want to learn more?
You might also like:
- HRT: Bioidentical vs Animal
- HRT & Your Heart
- How Old Is Too Old For HRT? ← this one’s specifically about the benefits that are still to be gained if one starts in one’s 60s or 70s
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