New York – How do you treat hot flashes and other post-menopausal symptoms? Until recently, the answer would have been hormone replacement therapy (HRT), but new studies released in January in the Neurology journal suggest otherwise.
Instead of protecting the heart, warding off cancer, and sharpening those brain cells, two studies conducted with the same group of women linked HRT not only to increased risk of heart attacks, blood clots, stroke, and breast cancer, but also to brain shrinkage in women over the age of 65.
Researchers in a study conducted by Wake Forest University confirmed the risk of brain shrinkage after studying the brains of 1,400 older women ages 71-89 who had been a part of an earlier study. The brain shrinkage was slightly, but certainly smaller. The area affected was associated with memory and thinking which leads researchers to believe that this heightens the risk for dementia. Researchers also say the risk is higher for women already experiencing memory problems.
HRT was designed to replace the loss of hormones women experience in menopause and relieve symptoms such as mood swings, hot flashes, night sweats, and other uncomfortable conditions. Yet, scientists participating in the most recent HRT studies in the Neurology journal say women are indeed experiencing negative affects from their hormone therapy and women who are already experiencing memory degeneration are at a heightened risk.
“The benefits are still way in excess of the risks,” says Dr David Sturdee, president of the International Menopause Society. Sturdee also mentioned that is wasn’t a surprise to see that women at an advanced age were experiencing brain shrinkage.
According to Susan M. Resnick, senior investigator at the National Institute on Aging and lead author of an HRT study, women with healthy brains had no negative effects, but women already suffering from memory loss or any mental degeneration had noticeably negative effects. “The encouraging thing is that younger women are much less likely to have vulnerable brains,” said Resnick.
Despite the negative attention surrounding HRT, researchers are encouraged to find that taking hormone treatments before the age of 65 may indeed have some positive effects. Unfortunately, it is still too soon to tell.
Today, women under the age of 65 are still taking HRT at varying doses due to their young age, are less likely to experience any adverse effects. Still, Resnick encourages consumers to take the smallest dose for the shortest amount of time.