Hormone Replacement Therapy Pros and Cons

Hormone replacement therapy, or simply hormone therapy, is the medical treatment where the body is supplemented with hormones, in order to treat certain conditions. Most commonly, it is menopausal or perimenopausal women who need such a type of treatment to cope with the symptoms of menopause. Menopause can be defined as the stage of a woman's life which is characterized by the cessation of the menstrual cycle. This stage is also characterized by a significant drop in the level of female hormones, estrogen and progesterone, which results in some of the annoying problems like hot flashes, night sweats, sleep disturbances, mood swings and vaginal dryness. These are some of the common symptoms of menopause, which may at times necessitate medical intervention.

However, occasionally, men with low testosterone level, either due to aging, i.e. andropause, or certain illnesses, as well as women, whose ovaries have been surgically removed can also need the help of hormone therapy. The hormones that are more commonly used in this treatment are estrogen, progesterone or progestins and testosterone. Though hormone replacement therapy can enable women to better cope with the symptoms caused by the fluctuating levels of the female hormones, some recent studies have highlighted certain serious health hazards associated with this treatment.

Hormone Replacement Treatment: Is it Good or Bad?

Advantages
This treatment either uses estrogen, or both estrogen and progesterone to reduce the symptoms associated with menopause. Using estrogen alone can increase the risk for endometrial cancer and that's why usually both estrogen and progesterone are used. Estrogen stimulates the growth of the endometrial cells, in order to prepare it for the implantation of the fertilized egg. But, when fertilization does not take place, the endometrial cells are shed during menstruation. Menstruation stops when a woman reaches the menopausal stage, and so, using estrogen alone can cause an overgrowth of endometrial cells, which can cause cancer.

This therapy usually uses both hormones to treat menopause symptoms such as night sweats, sleep disturbances, anxiety, frequent hot flashes and vaginal dryness. However, women whose uterus have been removed surgically can take only estrogen as well. Apart from these, reduction in the level of female hormones can weaken the bones and cause osteoporosis. It can reduce the risk for the development of osteoporosis. Some studies have reported that supplementing the body with female hormones can also reduce the risk for colorectal cancer and heart disease. In men, reduction in the level of testosterone can manifest in sleeplessness, loss of libido, erectile dysfunction, weight gain and depression. It can help to alleviate these conditions by supplementing the body with testosterone.

Disadvantages
Some studies have indicated that it can increase the risk for blood clots, breast cancer and endometrial or uterine cancer. The risk for blood clots is particularly high for women who take estrogen and smoke. But the risk can be quite low for those who use estrogen skin patches. Women receiving this treatment may also have an increased risk for strokes and developing gallbladder diseases.

On the other hand, older women receiving estrogen have a higher risk for developing heart disease. Apart from increasing the health risks for these diseases, it can produce side effects in some women. Such side effects can include, bloating, nausea, water retention, headaches, irritability and mood swings. In men, it may raise the risk for prostate cancer, benign prostate hypertrophy and heart attacks.

Considering all these pros and cons, physicians usually do not recommend this treatment option for individuals with a family history of strokes, heart disease, breast cancer and prostate cancer. Patients should also properly evaluate the points, before making a concrete decision. If the symptoms of menopause and andropause are not so severe, then they can be managed by adopting a healthy lifestyle. Regular exercising, along with following a balanced diet can help to provide significant relief from such symptoms. Therefore, one should consider other treatment options available before going in for hormone replacement treatment. But if this therapy become inevitable, then you need to talk to your physician to find out which form of hormone therapy will be best for you. Usually, hormones for this therapy are made available in the form of pills, gel, injections, vaginal cream and skin patches.