Hormones during the menopause?

The menopause – A time which is associated with many symptoms in varying forms and severities for the majority of women, which sometimes substantially restrict quality of life. These can include hot flushes, excessing sweating, mood swings or vaginal dryness. Approximately 60% of women have such severe complaints that they look for effective treatment methods and even have to avail of medical advice.

For a long time, it was assumed that a hormone replacement therapy can alleviate complaints after several months. To check this assumption, the Women’s Health Initiative (WHI) in the USA launched a major study.

Five and a half years later, there was a shock: Women taking hormones were not experiencing fewer heart attacks and strokes – the risk was even elevated in some cases. In parallel, the risk for thromboses and breast cancer increased. Although treatment with hormones can be sensible in some cases, women nowadays often first look for hormone-free products to counteract the side effects of the menopause.