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Hormone therapy: The next chapter
Is it time to rewrite the book on postmenopausal hormone use? What a difference a decade makes! When the new millennium dawned, hormone therapy (HT) was a mainstay of postmenopausal health care. Besides relieving hot flashes and other troublesome symptoms, it was thought to offer protection against a host of degenerative disorders. In 2001, perimenopausal […]
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Lifestyle changes help keep weight off after menopause
Anyone who has tried to lose weight after menopause knows how stubborn those pounds can be. Rather than going on a “diet,” postmenopausal women are better off changing their eating in a way they can maintain over the long term, finds a recent study in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. The […]
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Major depression more likely during perimenopause than during premenopause
Besides hot flashes and extra-heavy periods, what else might the menopausal transition have in store for you? Possibly major depression, according to findings from the Study of Women’s Health Across the Nation (SWAN), a multi-ethnic study of women’s health at midlife. Perimenopause begins several years before menopause (the end of menstruation) and ends a year […]
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Ask the doctor: Does creatine improve strength in postmenopausal women?
Q. Could you discuss the benefits of creatine supplements for older, postmenopausal women? Are there any drawbacks? A. Creatine is a substance made in our bodies from the amino acids arginine, glycine, and methionine. Amino acids are the chemical building blocks of protein; we get them from dietary protein. The body makes 1 to 2 […]
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Too little — or too much — sleep linked to dementia risk
Participants in the Women’s Health Initiative Memory Study (WHIMS) have provided a trove of information. They completed monthly questionnaires and underwent cognitive tests. Those who showed significant decline were also tested for dementia. Recently, researchers analyzed data from 7,444 participants over 65. They had followed the women an average of seven years. Their report was […]
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Electroacupuncture may ease hot flashes, aid sleep in breast cancer survivors
Research we’re watching Approximately 30% to 40% of women with breast cancer report persistent hot flashes and night sweats. A new study conducted by researchers from the United States and Canada indicates that electroacupuncture might provide some relief. The researchers studied 58 breast cancer survivors who reported sleep disruptions from hot flashes. They randomly assigned […]
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Postmenopausal women treated for DCIS live as long as other women
Research we’re watching Ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) differs from breast cancer because it is noninvasive, so it cannot spread to other parts of the body. However, it can progress to an invasive breast cancer, which can be life-threatening. Researchers from the Netherlands Cancer Institute wanted to determine how DCIS affected long-term survival. The team […]
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Can implantable hormone pellets prevent bone loss?
Ask the doctor Q. I’ve heard that bioidentical hormone pellets injected near the hip are more effective than bone-building drugs in stopping bone loss and preventing hip fracture. Is this true? A. The FDA hasn’t approved hormone pellets for preventing or treating bone loss. Moreover, there are no randomized controlled trials on record, so we […]
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Short-term estrogen use doesn’t protect against dementia, study indicates
Research we’re watching Although hormone therapy was once thought to help preserve cognitive function after menopause, there is mounting evidence to the contrary, including a recent report from the Kuopio Osteoporosis Risk Factor and Prevention Study. Researchers in that project sent questionnaires to all women ages 47 to 56 who lived in the Finnish province […]
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Vaginal Atrophy (Atrophic Vaginitis)
What Is It? Vaginal atrophy is a change of the vagina that develops when there is a significant decrease in levels of the female hormone estrogen. The condition also is called atrophic vaginitis. Estrogen, which is produced by the ovaries, plays a vital role in keeping vaginal tissues lubricated and healthy. When levels of estrogen […]
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