Pros And Cons Of Hormone Replacement Therapy And Effects On Estrogen

Hormone therapy is generally used to treat menopause symptoms in women. The factors that may affect the hormone therapy are age, family medical history, personal medications, or the symptoms of your menopause. 

It is advised to talk with your doctor about the risks and benefits of this therapy on your body. Initially, your doctor might suggest you with a hormone replacement therapy drugs list. It is advised to follow that medication. 

All of us know that estrogen and progesterone are present in a women’s ovaries. Estrogen plays a very important role in a woman’s body which is preparing the lining of the uterus, maintaining healthy blood cholesterol levels, preventing osteoporosis, and much more. Progesterone helps to maintain the fertilized egg, regulate blood pressure, and improve sleep.

When your body goes through menopause it goes into a transition where the ovary is no longer producing any kind of estrogen and progesterone. The hormonal levels can cause some symptoms such as discomfort dryness in the vagina, mood swings, dry skin or mouth, headache, etc. 

Hormone therapy is generally used to boost the hormone levels in the body which will relieve some symptoms of menopause. It is advised that you should ask your doctor about it. In this article, you will get to know all about hormone therapy. 

Types of hormone therapy 

  • Estrogen therapy

it is mostly like when a doctor prescribes a low dose of estrogen which can be taken as a pill. It is also in a form of cream gel or spray. It is suggested that you take a very low dose of estrogen to relieve the symptoms. High Dosage may have its own side effects. 

  • Estrogen progesterone or progestin hormone therapy

this is a combination therapy where there is a combination of estrogen and progesterone suggested.

Role of having uterus during the therapy 

If you have a uterus then taking estrogen without progesterone may lead to the risk of cancer in the lining of your uterus. So if you have your uterus you should take both the hormones together. So women who have a uterus should go for progestin hormone therapy which has a combination of both the hormones in it. 

In some cases, women do not have their uterus due to they have had a hysterectomy operation. If you don’t have your uterus then you may only take progesterone. 

Ask your doctor or gynecologist to suggest to you the therapy you should go for based on your reports.

Pros of taking hormone replacement therapy in women 

The benefits of taking the hormone therapy include:

  • Reducing the risk of osteoporosis in women and preventing the bone-breaking risk. 
  • Uplifting mood and all over well-being in some women.
  • Protection against tooth loss.
  • Helps to fight the risk of colon cancer in women.
  • Lower risk of diabetes in women.
  • It gives an improvement in joint pains, especially for old-age women.
  • Lowering the death rate ratio for women who have started taking the therapies in their age of 50s.

The disadvantages of hormone therapy 

Which all the good points there also are some risks or disadvantages that are seen in women if they go for hormone therapy. They can be:

  • In some women, if they have a uterus and are not taking progestin and estrogen they may have the risk of endometrial cancer. 
  • It increases the risk of blood clots in the blood which may lead to stroke.
  • Stones in the gallbladder can be found. 
  • There is a risk of Alzheimer’s disease if there is any medical treatment associated with it.
  • In the case of long-term use, it leads to a risk of breast cancer.
  • It can also lead to a risk of heart disease 

It is advised that you should not take hormone therapy if you had any past history of cancer-related to women’s reproductive organs, you have had liver disease, you have a medical history of any heart-related disease, you are pregnant, or you have any blood clotting issue.

Some of the side effects while you take the hormone therapy are irregular spotting, tender breasts, mood swings, skin discoloration, skin irritation, etc. In most cases, the side effects do not require any kind of medical condition but if your changes are not stopping then you might consult a doctor. It is suggested that you take care of your hormone therapy and use the lowest dose that is suggested to you.