Category Archives: Hormone Replacement Therapy

HRT is tied with an increased risk of cancer and heart disease. Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) may lower the risk of bone fractures in older women but is also associated with a considerable increased risk of cancer and heart disease. A large US trial called the Womens Health Initiative found that using estrogen-only or estrogen-plus-progestin female hormones during menopause caused more heart attacks and strokes than it prevented. The findings published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, also highlighted that menopausal women who use HRT are also more likely to have a breast cancer than their counterparts who use non-hormonal methods to reduce their menopausal symptoms. The new 15-year study which followed more than 160,000 women confirmed that taking female hormone pills may prevent osteoporosis and lower symptoms such as hot flashes in menopausal women. However, the article added that the therapy also raises womens odds of developing different problems such as gallbladder disease, urinary incontinence and dementia. We looked at all the published studies on hormone therapy for the prevention of chronic disease, said Dr. Heidi Nelson, who led the update. What is new here is, we've taken all the results from the last 10 years and tried to … Continue reading →

Editor's Choice Academic Journal Main Category: Menopause Also Included In: Women's Health / Gynecology Article Date: 28 May 2012 - 17:00 PDT Current ratings for: 'Hormone Therapy, The Pros And Cons - An Updated Report' 3 (2 votes) This review, written by researchers from Oregon Health & Science University, and Providence Cancer Center, and published in Annals of Internal Medicine, was conducted to help USPSTF (US Preventive Services Task Force) issue its new recommendations on hormone therapy. As background information, the researchers explained that menopausal hormone therapy to prevent chronic diseases is not recommended today, because of the high risk of serious adverse events. The researchers set out to update evidence regarding how effective hormone therapy is in reducing the risk of developing chronic conditions, as well as studying the impact and severity of adverse effects. They also wanted to see what the outcomes might be among females in different subgroups. They gathered and analyzed data from MEDLINE (Jan 2002 - Nov 2011), the Cochrane Central Register for Controlled Database of Systematic Reviews (up to September 2011), Scopus and some other reference lists. They also looked at randomized, placebo-controlled trials of HRT (hormone replacement therapy) that had been published in … Continue reading →

Women who are past menopause and healthy should not use hormone replacement therapy in hopes of warding off dementia, bone fractures or heart disease, says a new analysis by the government task force that weighs the risks and benefits of screening and other therapies aimed at preventing illness. The recommendation by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force does not necessarily apply to women who use hormone replacement therapy to reduce menopausal symptoms such as hot flashes, night sweats and vaginal dryness. The balance of harm and benefits for that use is expected to be addressed soon in a report by the federal Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. The latest recommendation, published Monday in the Annals of Internal Medicine, comes from an organization accustomed to controversy. In recent months, the task force has recommended against routine breast cancer screenings for most women younger than 50. It has also urged abandonment of the prostate-specific antigen, or PSA, test that has become a standard part of older men's yearly physicals. Its latest recommendation could be a bit less controversial but is likely to have detractors among physicians who believe that the dangers of hormone replacement therapy for menopausal women have been overblown. … Continue reading →

27-05-2012 20:46 Read more: Hormone Replacement Therapy Part 1 - Video … Continue reading →

Menopause, often called "the change," affects all women eventually. Menopause is a term used to describe the cessation of menses, when the ovaries stop producing hormone cycles. This signals the end of the fertile phase of a woman's life. This time of a woman's life usually comes with a variety of troublesome symptoms that might include hot flashes, night sweats, sleeping problems, mood swings and weight gain. Exercise has been shown to greatly decrease menopausal symptoms. Some turn to herbs (black cohash or evening primrose oil), phyto-estrogens found in some foods and acupuncture for relief. A woman might consider hormone replacement therapy, or HRT, to alleviate menopausal symptoms. Traditional hormone replacement therapy replaces the declining estrogen levels after menopause. Progesterone also is replaced in women who have not had hysterectomies. Another form of HRT is bioidentical hormones, laboratory-made female hormones based on compounds found in plants, usually soy beans or wild yams. Bioidentical hormones are processed by a compounding pharmacist who provides medications that have a customized formulation to meet a patient's specific needs. These hormones come in various forms including tablets, under-the-skin pellets, creams, gels and nasal sprays. The decision to take HRT should not be make lightly. There … Continue reading →

Posted May. 15th, 2012 Drugmaker Pfizers restructuring of its estrogen extraction plant at Brandon, Man. calls for about 40 per cent fewer employees by the end of next year. The company processes conjugated estrogen from pregnant mares urine (PMU) at Brandon to make the hormone replacement therapy Premarin, used to treat menopausal symptoms in women. Pfizer said Tuesday it plans to cut about 50 of 130 positions at the plant "gradually through to the end of 2013." The company said it "operates in a very competitive and challenging environment which requires a continual review of its operations to look for efficiencies and cost reductions by using our resources and technology more effectively." Changes at the Brandon plant "will enhance the sites competitiveness and best position it for the future," the company said. However, this decision "will not impact the sites rancher network who support the plants production," Pfizer said.The company sources raw PMU from a network of 26 equine ranchers across Manitoba and Saskatchewan. The Brandon facility was set up in the mid-1960s and became a Pfizer plant when the company bought fellow drugmarker Wyeth in 2009. Wyeth substantially downsized its PMU ranch network in the first half of the … Continue reading →

A substance found in celery and parsley could pack a powerful punch against breast cancer, according to a new study in mice. Researchers from the University of Missouri found that apigenin seems to have an effect on certain kinds of breast cancer tumors associated with the hormone progestin (given along with estrogen to women as part of hormone replacement therapy for menopause, and is known to increase the risk of breast cancer). "We do know that apigenin slowed the progression of human breast cancer cells in three ways: by inducing cell death, by inhibiting cell proliferation, and by reducing expression of a gene associated with cancer growth," study researcher Salman Hyder, a professor of biomedical sciences at the College of Veterinary Medicine and the Dalton Cardiovascular Research Center at the University of Missouri, said in a statement. "Blood vessels responsible for feeding cancer cells also had smaller diameters in apigenin-treated mice compared to untreated mice," Hyder added. "Smaller vessels mean restricted nutrient flow to the tumors and may have served to starve the cancer as well as limiting its ability to spread." The study, published in the journal Hormones and Cancer, was conducted in specially bred mice that had breast … Continue reading →

KAYE CANDOZA-POELS. She was abused by her father for being a transgender. Photo by Dawn Fabrero MANILA, Philippines Kaye Candoza-Poels already knew she was female at the age of 6. Now 27, she looked every bit a woman as she walked down the UP main road in 5-inch heels. A member of the Society of Transsexual Women Philippines, Kaye led the march on Thursday, May 17, to the Commission on Human Rights central office in celebration of the International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia, and Transphobia (Idaho). Kayes grandmother became her permanent caretaker at 7 when Kayes father started abusing her for being a transgender. At 13 years old, she started hormone replacement therapy with the help of her aunt. She is currently engaged to a Dutch from the Netherlands whose family has already welcomed and accepted her warmly. When asked how differently she thinks things would have turned out without the hormone replacement therapy, she simply said Babae pa rin ako. Pagkababae ko ay buong buo. (Im still a woman. My being a woman remains whole.) Getting it right The burden and challenge of acceptance in a predominantly Catholic country is one that transgenders face every day. Acceptance and understanding … Continue reading →

May 16, 2012 Image Credit: Photos.com Apigenin Slowed The Progression of a Human Cancer Accelerated by Hormone Replacement Therapy Apigenin is a natural substance found in the grocery store produce aisles. It shows promise as being a non-toxic treatment for an aggressive form of human breast cancer, following a new study at the University of Missouri. They found apigenin shrank a type of breast cancer tumor that is stimulated by progestin which is a synthetic hormone given to women to help ease symptoms related to menopause. This is the first study to show that apigenin, which can be extracted from celery, parsley and many other natural sources, is effective against human breast cancer cells that had been influenced by a certain chemical used in hormone replacement therapy, said co-author Salman Hyder, the Zalk Endowed Professor in Tumor Angiogenesis and professor of biomedical sciences in the College of Veterinary Medicine and the Dalton Cardiovascular Research Center. In the study, Hyder and his colleagues implanted cells of a fast-growing, deadly human breast cancer, known as BT-474, into a specialized breed of mouse. Some of the mice were treated with medroxyprogesterone acetate(MPA), a type of progestin commonly given to post-menopausal women. A control … Continue reading →

Axironis the only approved testosterone replacement therapy with innovative application device TORONTO, May 14, 2012 /CNW/ - Axiron (testosterone topical solution, 2%) has been approved by Health Canada for testosterone replacement therapy in men for conditions associated with a deficiency or absence of endogenous testosterone (hypogonadism). Axiron is a first-of-its-kind. It is a topical, alcohol-based testosterone solution applied to the underarm once daily using a metered dose applicator that avoids contact with the hands. The recommended starting dose is 60 mg once daily, preferably applied at the same time each morning.1 "The approval of Axiron signals valuable innovation in the treatment of male testosterone deficiency," says Dr. Serge Carrier, Urologist, McGill University. "With its novel applicator and odorless solution that dries in around two minutes, Axiron offers a treatment regimen that fits more naturally with a man's daily routine." Clinical trial data indicated that Axiron can restore blood concentration of testosterone within the normal range in most men.2 Axiron is expected to be available in Canada in the first quarter of 2013 and will provide a new option for healthcare professionals helping to treat the signs and symptoms of testosterone deficiency. The product expands Eli Lilly Canada's focus in men's … Continue reading →