HRT hormone replacement therapy

HRT or hormone replacement therapy has been used in the past to regulate the body’s loss of estrogen or testosterone. But recent studies have shown that the risks can far outweigh the benefits of long-term hormone therapy in women.

Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is a treatment used to replace the female hormones that a woman’s body is no longer producing because of the menopause. practical note HRT( or HT) is a hormone treatment prescribed by a Doctor. The purpose of HRT is to replace naturally declining estrogen and progesterone levels due to menopause. HRT comes in one of three different combinations; estrogen taken alone, progesterone taken alone or a combination of estrogen plus progesterone.

HRT has been extensively studied and a great deal of information is known about the benefits and the risks.

The main and most obvious benefit of HRT is that it has proved very successful in controlling the symptoms of the menopause. Taking HRT can make a huge difference to a woman’s quality of life and wellbeing.

HRT can also reduce a woman’s risk of developing osteoporosis and cancer of the colon and rectum. However, the long-term use of HRT to prevent osteoporosis is not usually recommended. This is because HRT slightly increases the risk of developing breast cancer, endometrial cancer, ovarian cancer and stroke, and there are other medicines available for osteoporosis that do not carry the same level of associated risk. For more information, see HRT - risks

Most experts agree that if HRT is used on a short-term basis (no more than five years) then the benefits of it outweigh any associated risk. If it is taken for longer, especially for more than 10 years, you should discuss your individual risks with your GP and review these risks on a yearly basis.