clipped from health.msn.com
A new British study suggests that hormone replacement therapy (HRT) may help protect postmenopausal women against memory loss and Alzheimer’s disease, BBC News reported.
The London Institute of Psychiatry researchers found that a halt in the production of the hormone estrogen — which occurs in menopause — was linked to a decline in memory. But this was reversed when estrogen supplies were restored, as occurs when women have HRT.
This study appears to support a current theory that estrogen may help prevent the accumulation of harmful protein tangles in the brain that eventually lead to Alzheimer’s.
There may be a critical window of time around the menopause when HRT may have a beneficial effect in protecting against Alzheimer’s dementia,” said lead researcher Dr. Michael Craig, BBC News reported.
But one expert urged caution.
“This is not conclusive evidence and women are not advised to start HRT specifically to protect against dementia since it can have side effects and possibly increase the risk of cancer,” said Rebecca Wood, chief executive officer of the Alzheimer’s Research Trust in the U.K., BBC News reported.
I realize that HRT may be good for many women, but anyone who is thinking of it should take everything into account, including the greater risk of breast cancer. After having BC, my oncologist/gyn told me that HRT for me, (and anyone else in a high risk situation), should definitely not be taken.
Good point Karen, but I doubt if you would find any doctor that would prescribe HRT to a woman who had breast cancer or in a high risk category (hope not anyway). Women with the following conditions are not candidates for HRT:
* Blood clots or clotting disorders
* Breast cancer
* Gall stones or gallbladder disease
* Liver disease
* Other estrogen-dependent cancer (such as endometrial or ovarian cancer)