Hormone replacement therapy is helpful for easing symptoms of menopause and preventing osteoporosis in some women. You may also hear hormone replacement therapy called “opposed estrogen therapy”.
The name basically describes how it works. Hormone replacement therapy increases estrogen and/or progestin levels in a woman’s body. There are several different forms of hormone replacement therapy, including:
- Estrogen and progestin combination pills (brand name Premphase, Prempro, Activella)
- Estrogen and progestin patches that continuously release hormones over time (brand name CombiPatch)
- Oral progestin used with an estrogen-only pill or patch (brand name Provera, Prometrium, Micronor, Norlutin, Aygestin)
- Progestin intra-uterine device (IUD) used with an estrogen-only pill or patch (brand name Mirena)
The FDA recommends hormone replacement therapy for:
- Short-term treatment of menopause symptoms only, using the lowest effective dose.
- Osteoporosis prevention and treatment, in some cases. Talk to your doctor about the risks and benefits of using hormone replacement therapy.
Does it work? While there is no universal product or treatment that handles menopause symptoms for all women, hormone replacement therapy has been shown to:
- Help prevent osteoporosis after menopause by slowing bone loss and promoting an increase in bone density.
- Reduce hot flashes, depression, and sleep difficulties in most women.
- Reduce vaginal irritation by helping maintain the lining of the vagina.
- Increase levels of collagen in the skin. Collagen is what makes your skin and muscles stretchy — it tends to drop as estrogen levels decrease.
- Decrease the risk of dental problems like gum disease and tooth loss.
Hormone replacement therapy may also help lower the risk of colon cancer — but more studies on this are underway.
Using a combination progestin and estrogen therapy can help reduce your risk of some side effects. However, if you cannot tolerate the side effects of progestin therapy, you have the option of estrogen-only therapy or non-hormonal treatments.