The controversy over hormone replacement therapy (HRT)

is filled with a lot of fear and misinformation, and I want to share my views on one of the most under-utilized treatments for women.

I’m a believer in HRT (hormone replacement therapy). And I found the recent LA Times article, “Once and for all: Hormone replacement is good for women” by Dr. Avrum Bluming and Carol Tavris, authors of Estrogen Matters, super compelling.

I’m also a Gen-X woman in perimenopause looking for options on how to maintain my standard of health and well-being as I lean into my mid-forties. I’m a woman thinking about the second half of life, and with a history of Alzheimer’s in my family, you can bet that I am looking at all the resources available to me.

That’s why I feel compelled to start a series of Friday newsletters that share opinions on health and well-being topics for women 40+.

Gennev’s mission is to empower women to take control of their health in menopause. If we’re going to empower you, we need to arm you with the facts….and in some cases, we’re going to share our opinion on what we feel works and what doesn’t.

What gives me the confidence to get behind HRT?

For one, our team of ob/gyn and North American Menopause Society-certified practitioners believe in modernizing our view on women’s menopausal solutions.

After reading the LA Times’ article on HRT, genneve’s Director of Health and 20-year ob/gyn Dr. Rebecca Dunsmoor-Su, stated, “It is nice to see an article that is looking at the health benefits of hormones instead of spreading fear. While I don't believe that anything (including hormones, of which I am a huge fan) is a miracle drug, I do agree that they don't deserve the bad rap they have gotten. Hormones (estrogen specifically) can be a healthy choice for many women.”

The inflated fear and misinformation on HRT came about as a result of the 2002 Women’s Health Initiative study that loudly announced that women taking HRT had an increased risk of breast cancer, among other concerns.

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But Bluming and Tavris call out 10 key concerns of the study, including the initial finding that HRT increased the risk of breast cancer was not statistically significant, the subjects were not representative of menopausal women: their average age was 63; and the sample was not representative of healthy women. Nearly half were current or past smokers; more than a third had been treated for high blood pressure; fully 70 percent were seriously overweight or obese.

How’s that for research that essentially turned a generation of women, globally, against one of the most effective means for treating hot flashes, night sweats, insomnia, vaginal dryness, loss of sexual desire, heart palpitations, joint and muscle aches, headaches, bladder problems and even depression!

I’m not unaware of the risks that remain surrounding HRT, or alternative options which include bio-identical hormones, black cohosh and maca root. There is no one-size-fits-all approach to symptom treatment. Every woman needs to be informed and to choose the right path for her.

My passion lies in helping women find the solution that helps them. And on the topic of hormone-based therapies, I simply believe more women could be benefiting from evidence-based hormone replacement therapy options.

If you want to talk 1:1 with a health practitioner about if HRT is right for you, I suggest booking an appointment with one of the Gennev practitioners.

If you’re keen to do your own research on the topic, I suggest reading Estrogen Matters for a general education on HRT and The Hormone Myth: How Junk Science, Gender Politics, and Lies about PMS Keep Women Down.

Here’s to being the informed woman you want to be…

Jill

What are your thoughts on or your experience with hormone replacement therapy? We'd love for you to join us in the discussion, in the comments below, in the dedicated thread on our community forums, in our closed Facebook group, Midlife & Menopause Solutions, or on our Gennev Facebook page.