Before we get into the ‘nuts & bolts’ .
Just want to repeat that this study is not saying that HRT or MHT as it’s also known causes dementia.Scientific evidence on HRT and brain health remains mixed. It highlights that more research needs to be done.
If you’re on HRT, or considering it’s use it’s important to know the latest research, so you can make informed choices and/or discuss with your Dr/physician/healthcare provider.
The study;
Researchers in Denmark analysed national data to investigate whether there was an association between the use of combined estrogen & progestin (synthetic progesterone ) therapy and the development of dementia (the study did not differentiate between forms of delivery like patches/ oral therapies or include surgical menopause).
Between the years of 2000 & 2018, from a population of Danish women aged 50-60 years in 2000, with no history of Dementia, or any other reasons for not taking HRT , they identified 5,589 women with Dementia and 55,890 age matched women without. Relevant factors like diabetes, hypertension, thyroid disease & education were taken into account.
Findings;
The average age of diagnosis for the women was aged 70 years old.
The researchers found that after analysis of the data, those that had used combined estrogen & Progestin HRT , compared to women that had never taken it had a 24 percent increased risk of developing dementia, including women who had taken HRT at 55 years or younger.
Longer use was associated with an increased risk of dementia development, with women using HRT for 12 years or more having a 74 percent increased risk.
The increased risk was similar for HRT taken cyclically ( daily estrogen & Progestin taken 10-14 days per month) and daily.
The use of vaginal estrogen & progestin only therapy weren’t associated with an increased risk of developing dementia.
Conclusion
Scientific evidence on HRT and brain health remains mixed, other studies have found decreased or neutral risks.
The BMJ found no increased risk for developing dementia in a study published in 2021, but found long term users of estrogen & progesterone had a sligthtly increased risk of developing Alzheimers disease.
The researchers from this study concluded “Further studies are warranted to determine whether these findings represent an actual effect of menopausal hormone therapy on dementia risk, or whether they reflect an underlying predisposition in women in need of these treatments.”
Some women aren’t able to take HRT for medical reasons, or they’ve tried it and it hasn’t worked for them – here’s some other options to consider
Claire x
