During menopause or the transition into menopause, your body will always have a decrease in the levels of reproductive hormones. Less production of female reproductive hormones such as estrogen and progesterone will cause you to experience various unpleasant symptoms. Some common symptoms you may have are sleep problems, weight gain, hot flashes, vaginal dryness, loss of sex drive, and mood swings. One of the most effective methods that Anna Barbieri MD relies on for relieving symptoms associated with perimenopause and menopause is hormone replacement therapy.
Also called menopausal hormone treatment (MHT), hormone replacement therapy is a medication that contains female reproductive hormones. The therapy focuses on triggering your body to make healthy levels of estrogen and progesterone, thus reducing the unpleasant symptoms of perimenopause and menopause. Consequently, below are potential benefits you may get from menopausal hormone treatment.
1. Provides relief against unpleasant symptoms
People experience perimenopause and menopause differently. Your signs and symptoms may be mild and not require medical treatment.
But it is also possible that your perimenopause and menopause symptoms may be painful and severe. As a result, you may suffer from sleep disruption, lower energy levels, and poor emotional health. That can significantly affect your ability to perform daily activities.
Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) can help boost levels of female reproductive hormones and thus provide relief against symptoms of perimenopause and menopause.
2. Protects against heart disease
There are no studies that show that menopause may cause heart disease. However, during menopause, there is an increase in risk factors that may trigger heart diseases like coronary artery disease, high blood pressure, cardiac arrest, arrhythmia, and stroke.
Numerous studies published in the National Library of Medicine confirm that if you undergo hormone replacement therapy within eight years of menopause, you may benefit from heart disease protection.
Before undergoing HRT treatment, your health provider will determine if you have heart disease. And after treatment, your doctor will closely monitor your progress, ensuring you maintain optimal heart health.
3. Relief against depression
During perimenopause, your body’s transition to menopause may make you vulnerable to depression. During the period around menopause, you will experience irregular menstruation and less production of serotonin. Serotonin carries messages or signals between the brain’s nerve cells and the rest of your body. Low serotonin levels offset the stabilization of your mood, leading to irritation, anxiety, depression, sadness, and sleep problems.
Hormone replacement therapy may boost serotonin and estrogen levels to stabilize your mood and provide relief against depression.
However, no studies show that HRT can help ease depression when you have reached menopause.
4. Protects bones
According to the Endocrine Society, menopause puts you at increased risk of bone fractures and degradation. Bones in your hip, spine, and wrist are often most affected by fracturing and degradation.
Estrogen is a vital hormone that naturally strengthens bones and prevents their breakdown. More estrogen in the body will help support optimal bone health.
Hormone replacement therapy, together with physical exercises, may assist in preventing the loss of muscle mass. Loss of muscle mass reduces your strength, stability, and mobility.
Contact Anna Barbieri, MD, today to schedule an appointment with a hormone replacement therapy specialist to manage your perimenopause and menopause symptoms.
