Previous studies highlighted potential risks of HRT, causing reluctance, but now this idea is outdated as it overlooks benefits and risks.
The benefits and drawbacks of taking hormone replacement therapy (HRT) will depend on your age, menopause symptoms, and other potential risk factors.
It is a method developed to reduce the aggravating symptoms of menopause while benefiting your health during the process.
Moreover,it is a medication that contains female hormones. You take the medication to replace the estrogen during menopause.
Here, we will explore some of the top benefits of hormone replacement therapy (HRT).
Benefits of hormone replacement therapy (HRT)
Hormone replacement therapy has many advantages when it comes to your health. Some of these main benefits are:
Decreases menopause symptoms
Hot flashes, night sweats, and difficulty sleeping are ubiquitous signs of menopause. These symptoms can be mild to severe and interfere with your regular activities.
Hormone replacement therapy regulates your levels of progesterone and estrogen, which helps to relieve many of the painful symptoms associated with menopause. Menopause patients will benefit from this therapy.
Prevention from osteoporosis
Estrogen supplementation with hormone replacement therapy (HRT) has been shown to lower the risk of osteoporosis and bone fractures significantly. It is regarded as a first-line therapeutic option for women who wish to preserve the integrity of their bones as they age or who have osteoporosis. HRT should be used in conjunction with a balanced diet high in calcium and vitamin D and a regular exercise program that involves weight bearing and stresses your joints.
Improvement in sexual life
In a recent research, women receiving HRT therapy—which is commonly used to treat menopausal symptoms like “hot flashes”—reported a 44% increase in sexual attraction. This data, according to researchers, lends credence to the notion that estrogen and progesterone therapy can assist women who are dissatisfied with their decreased libido after menopause.
Weight control
HRT might be helpful if you’ve tried the conventional weight-loss methods (exercising, cutting calories, and following a balanced diet) and nothing appears to be working.
Hormone replacement medication may be an excellent way to lose weight if:
- You entered menopause; you put on weight.
- You have too much belly fat.
- You experience any of the additional menopausal symptoms, like hot flashes and sweats at night.
- You were young when you stopped having periods.
Improvement in your mood and behavior
Hormone therapy boosts hormone levels. At menopause, estrogen levels are deficient. It successfully addresses hormone imbalance and reduces age-related hormone decline symptoms and indicators, including mood swings. After menopause, women’s rates of depression fall. Hormone therapy will help you improve your mood and general well-being.
Risks assosiated with HRT:
- Some types of HRT can enhance your risk of specific severe problems like blood clots and breast cancer.
- HRT is only one of the methods to better your menopausal and postmenopausal health. The benefits of HRT outweigh the risks in most cases.
- These are the risks associated with HRT:
- Blood clots in the legs and lungs can lead to a stroke.
- Breast cancer if you are taking a combination of estrogen and progesterone therapy for five or more years.
- Endometrial cancer if you are only on estrogen replacement therapy and you still have your uterus.
