Seniors: Put more pep in your step

Anecdotally speaking, I can always tell when a woman is on hormone replacement therapy (HRT).

I can’t quite describe it… but there’s a glow of health, vigor, and confidence. A je ne sais quoi, if you will.

So, let’s look a bit more closely at the benefits of HRT.

After all, I’m a big fan of it for both men and women.

Feel great at any age

When considering HRT, my perimenopausal patients often ask how long they’ll need to stay on it.

My response is the same for men and women: You never “have” to do or stay on HRT. But your thinking might change once you experience the effects. See, HRT can enhance your life, protect you from disease, and help slow the aging process.

In fact, I have men and women well into their 90s who would never dream of giving up their HRT!

Of course, mainstream medicine is just coming around to this line of thinking. Likely due to the exciting research that’s coming out.

A new analysis released at the annual meeting of the Menopause Society highlights how women can manage their menopause symptoms with HRT well into their 80s!

For the analysis, researchers discovered that controlling hot flashes was the No. 1 reason women continued HRT beyond age 65.

But these women also attributed HRT to better quality of life, including less chronic pain and more manageable arthritis symptoms.

Of course, the reason I often recommend my women patients to continue HRT—whether or not they experience hot flashes—is because it helps preserve bone density and offers heart protection.

And considering how the vast majority of women experience menopause symptoms that restrict quality of life… I’d say this analysis reveals fantastic news!

I mean, who wants to spend their golden years battling memory loss, hot flashes, and periods of unproductivity?

Things to consider

I’m so glad we’re out of the dark ages when it comes to HRT. In fact, recent studies continue to disprove any link between HRT and negative outcomes.

That goes for estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone therapy in women—as well as testosterone therapy in men.

Of course, it’s important to note that HRT is only indicated if there are no risk factors like family or personal history of blood clots or hormone-related cancers (to name a few).

In fact, there are many things to consider before ever agreeing to HRT. I explain this in more detail in the October 2017 issue of my monthly newsletter, Logical Health Alternatives. Click here to read more!

One last thing—be sure to work with a doctor who knows what they’re doing.

If you need help finding one, the American College for Advancement in Medicine (ACAM) is a great resource. Simply plug your zip code into their search engine at www.acam.org to find a list of physicians near you.

Source:

“Hormone Therapy Can Benefit Women into Their 80s.” MDedge, 09/10/2024. (mdedge.com/obgyn/article/270735/menopause/hormone-therapy-can-benefit-women-their-80s)