Hormone replacement therapy. Those three words sparked no small amount of controversy a decade ago, when the results of one of the largest clinical studies ever mounted showed women taking a combination of estrogen and progestin hormones had an increased risk for breast cancer.
That study, known as the Women’s Health Initiative, convinced women across the country to opt out of taking estrogen.
Now, a new study published in the American Journal of Public Health is raising concern that a lack of estrogen could be deadly. The article reviewed a 10-year history of “estrogen avoidance” in postmenopausal women. It concluded that a “minimum of 18,601 and as many as 96,610 may have died prematurely due to avoidance of estrogen therapy”.
Now hold on a second before you think about calling your doctor.
Dallas Dr. Jane Sadler explains there is a serious caveat with the new study: it refers only to women who do not have a uterus.
“For women who have undergone hysterectomy, this study is reassuring for limited use of estrogen. Beyond age 60 the need for estrogen should be discussed with your doctor.”
Read her full article here.
And stay tuned for an in-depth look at the rise of testosterone replacement therapy in Texas.
