An international group of menopause experts concluded that the use of HRT in the early postmenopausal period is safe for healthy women going through the first few years of menopause.

This is the conclusion and clinical advice of the First Global Summit on Menopause-Related Issues, which was held in Zürich in March this year.

I am not convinced.

International Menopause Society President Professor Amos Pines summed up the findings :

For young healthy women at the onset of menopause, there is very little risk and the benefits outweigh the risks for women with symptoms.

Personally, I am not at all convinced. Not even a little bit. The symptoms of the menopausal experience can be a real drag but only in few women do they stretch you beyond your limit. And I don’t like “the benefits outweigh the risks“. That only tells me that the risks are certainly there.

If, after trying a natural approach to relief, you feel as though life isn’t worth living, by all means try HRT but please, for as short a time as possible.

And when you are taking these drugs please please do not smoke, do not carry more than a few pounds of excess weight, rarely have an alcoholic drink, do not eat processed foods and avoid as much stress as possible in your daily activities.

Of the women in the original Womens Health Initiative study, 36% had hypertension, 49% were current or past smokers, and 34% were clinically obese, all factors which contribute to increased health problems. On top of that they took HRT.

So I repeat the conclusion of the Summit on Menopause-Related Issues .. If you are young and healthy, menopause is just starting — there is very little risk and the benefits outweigh the risks.

It’s up to you. Each woman is an individual. Talk to your doctor.

Tags: HRT