New Study Helps Women make Informed Decision about BHRT « Menopause Maniac

If you have been pondering whether or not to pursue hormone therapy for menopause relief, here’s a few new facts that might help make your decision easier.

The KEEPS study

The Kronos Early Estrogen Prevention Study (KEEPS) began four years ago and was designed to test the safety and efficacy of micronized (bioidentical) progesterone combined with either oral (traditional) estrogen (o-CEE) or transdermal (bioidentical) estrogen (t-E2) to treat symptoms of menopause in healthy women aged 42 to 58.

Unlike the Women’s Health Initiative (WHI) that erupted fear of hormone therapy, the KEEPS study used micronized (bioidentical) progesterone because it more accurately and effectively mimics a woman’s natural cycle. In the WHI, traditional (synthetic) progesterone was used along with traditional (synthetic) estrogen, which as many know resulted in adverse health effects in many of the subjects.

The KEEPS preliminary results showed:

No increased risk of breast or ovarian cancer
Reduced symptoms of menopause including mood swings, low libido, hot flashes, night sweats
Reduction in markers of cardiovascular disease (non-significant, due to small study size)

Notable mentions:

Women on the o-CEE experienced fewer mood swings than women on a placebo or t-E2
Women on the t-E2 experienced vast improvements in sexual function and desire
Women on t-E2 experienced improved insulin sensitivity (lowered blood sugar levels)
The o-CEE appeared to raise triglyceride levels slightly, while reducing LDL (bad cholesterol) levels and raising HDL levels (good cholesterol)
Both, t-E2 and o-CEE had no impact on blood pressure levels