Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) is a medical treatment that involves supplementing or replacing hormones that your body may not be producing adequately. For women, HRT is regularly used to address signs and symptoms and potential health problems associated with hormonal changes that occur just before, during, and after the onset of menopause.
Here are some potential benefits of Hormone Replacement Therapy can have for me as a women:
HRT Can Help Me Rebalance My Hormones: As a women, as menopause is approaching, and during menopause, my ovaries will likely produce fewer hormones, particularly estrogen and progesterone. This hormonal decline can lead to a number of physical and psychological changes, signs and symptoms which may create problems for me. Since my body is no longer making natural hormones, I can now get them from the out side.
Relief From Menopausal Symptoms
While menopause may be a natural phase in a woman’s life, when her ovaries begin to fail, they will likely make less total hormones, this can lead to symptoms such as hot flashes, night sweats, vaginal dryness, mood swings, and sleep disturbances. HRT can help me eliminate these symptoms by providing estrogen and when necessary progesterone, to replace the production of the hormones which have been lost.
Increased Bone Health
Since, estrogen plays a critical role in maintaining bone density, as menopause progresses and my estrogen levels decline I will likely risk of osteoporosis, a condition characterized by weakened and brittle bones, and hence possibly fractures. HRT can help slow bone loss down and even stop it so that my bone density never reaches the place where I will have a problems with osteoporosis and its related complications.
Increased Cardiovascular Health
Some studies suggest that HRT, when started early, before complete hormone loss, and before the full onset of menopause, can have a protective effect on my cardiovascular system. This can lead to a reduction in my risks for heart disease. This positive effect on cardiovascular health ,ay be created because of estrogens effect on improving blood vessel function and reducing the risk of heart disease. I do realize that there is mixed and controversial the evidence on this topic.
Improved Vaginal Health
HRT has been proven to help reduce vaginal dryness, relieve discomfort during intercourse, and reduce urinary symptoms by restoring moisture and elasticity to vaginal tissues hence, undoing the negative affects of menopause.
HRT Can Improve My Cognitive Functions
There is now good research that clearly suggests that HRT can have a positive impact on my cognitive abilities and function. That it can reduce the risk of cognitive decline often seen in postmenopausal women.
HRT Can Improve My Mood
Estrogen often appears to have a positive affect on mood and prevent anxiety, depression and reduce the number and severity of episodes of mood swings related to menopause .
Improved Quality of Life
Many women who use HRT experience significantly improvement in their overall quality of life. This appears to occur because if the reduction invasive menopausal symptoms and be improving these women’s physical, mental and emotional well-being.
It’s important to note that while HRT can offer benefits, it can also comes with some potential risks and considerations. This can include an increased risk of certain health conditions, such as blood clots, stroke, breast cancer, and cardiovascular events. Any decision I make to use HRT should be based on my careful recognition and evaluation of my past medical history, my existing risk factors, and my overall health.
I already plan to consult a skilled healthcare provider who can guide me through the decision-making process, help me understand both the potential benefits and risks, and can then tailor a treatment plan related to my specific needs and circumstances.
Article by Dr. Allen Lawrence, M.A., M.D., Ph.D.