Are there any benefits of sex hormones in post-menopausal women?

Yes, definitely there are some benefits. There are a variety of synthetic and non-synthetic hormones available. These hormones are only available with a doctor’s prescription. There are natural products available in health food stores without a prescription but the quality of these hormones is unknown and unregulated.

These hormones do have some benefits when taken for short periods and when closely followed by a healthcare provider. The sex hormones may provide protection against the following medical disorders:

- Osteoporosis. There are many studies, which show that the bone thinning that occurs after menopause can be prevented by sex hormones. By increasing bone density, there is also a decreased incidence of hip fractures.

- There is new evidence that these sex hormones may lower the risk of colorectal cancer. However, taking sex hormones for long periods is also associated with a risk of other cancers.

- Prior to menopause, women have a much lower risk of heart disease. This is due to the protection provided by the sex hormones. After menopause, women have declining levels of the sex hormones and their risk of heart disease quickly rises to the same levels as men. It is now known that estrogen at low doses when taken early in menopause may help maintain the low risk of heart disease.

Post-menopausal women are usually prescribed a combination of estrogen and progesterone. The reason for this is that estrogen alone increase the risk of uterine cancer, whereas the addition of progestin counters the risk. Any female who wishes to use sex hormones after menopause should speak to a knowledgeable physician and assess the pros and cons about this therapy.

Why is there so much fuss about hormonal therapy after menopause?

Up until the late 1990s, physicians freely prescribed hormones to post-menopausal females. It was believed at that time that these hormones were safe. In fact, these hormones helped relieved the symptoms of menopause in the majority of females. Hormonal therapy was a universal standard for the treatment of hot flashes and there was evidence that these agents could even prevent osteoporosis.

However, in the last decade several large studies show that empirical use of these sex hormones is not good for health. In fact, most studies show that long-term use of the hormones after menopause cause more harm than good. There is a strong belief that prolonged use of these agents may increase the risk of breast and uterine cancer. Today, most health professionals are extremely reluctant to prescribe these hormones to post-menopausal women.