Hormone study - weird conclusions

[Guest guest]

I wanted to share this recent article about the famous hormone replacement therapy study we've been hearing a lot about lately. What REALLY gets me, though, is that there's no mention of what KIND of hormones were used - natural or synthetic (DUHHH - all the difference in the world here!) and whether natural progesterone BY ITSELF was used. I know this is a wonderful boon to all women, but I cringe to think how many women will READ THIS STUDY and decide to go off all HRT - throwing the baby out with the bathwater. For any woman with doubts, read Dr. John Lee's two books on the need for progesterone!

 

As for the mention of mental deterioration, we have a great Ayurvedic remedy called Brahmi (you can find it on my website below) that has proven itself to be VERY helpful in many tests. It is an herb we should all know about, use ourselves, if need be, or recommend to those who do really need it most.

 

Linda

 

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-030527hormones,1,3561868.story?coll=chi%2Dnews%2DhedStudy links women's hormone supplements to Alzheimer's, dementiaBy Lindsey TannerAP Medical WriterMay 27, 2003Women who take hormones for years run a higher risk of Alzheimer's or othertypes of dementia, according to yet another startling study that turnsupside down what doctors have long believed about supplements."It's another nail in the coffin'' for the use of hormones during and aftermenopause, said St. Louis gynecologist Dr. Robert Blaskiewicz, a St. LouisUniversity professor.The study appears in Wednesday's Journal of the American MedicalAssociation.The findings in women 65 and older challenge the long-held notion thatestrogen-progestin supplements can help women keep their minds sharp -- abelief that was based on smaller, less rigorous studies.Last summer, a government study was abruptly halted after finding anincreased risk of breast cancer, heart attacks and strokes in women who tookone type of combined hormone pill.That finding shattered the conventional thinking about the health benefitsof hormones and prompted millions of American women to stop takingsupplements.Some experts say that based on what is now known about supplements, womenpast menopause should not take hormones at all. Other experts say that womenneeding relief from night sweats and other menopausal symptoms should takethe lowest possible dose for the shortest time.The new findings on dementia come from a subset of participants in lastsummer's study. Despite those earlier findings, many women have continuedusing supplements to relieve menopausal symptoms and in hopes of preventingmemory loss and other mental decline, said Sally Shumaker, a public healthprofessor at Wake Forest University who led the latest research.Women in the study who took hormones for an average of more than four yearsfaced double the risk of developing Alzheimer's or other forms of dementia,compared with those on dummy pills. That means that in one year, for every10,000 women taking hormones, there will be 23 more cases of dementia.Researchers also found that hormones did not protect against less severemental decline, such as mild memory loss.One possible explanation for the confounding new findings is that hormonesraise the risk of strokes -- and strokes are known to cause brain damage andcontribute to dementia, the researchers said.Nevertheless, the increased risk of dementia is very small, said MarilynAlbert, head of the Alzheimer's Association's scientific advisory counciland a Johns Hopkins University neurology professor.Age remains the single greatest risk factor for dementia, and the studysuggests that a 65-year woman on estrogen-progestin pills "would have theincreased risk profile of a 70-year-old woman not taking hormone replacementtherapy,'' Albert said.Dr. Judith Salerno, deputy director of the National Institute on Aging, saidthe results indicate older postmenopausal women should not useestrogen-progestin supplements in hopes of keeping their minds sharp."There is no benefit, and possible harm, for older women taking thistherapy,'' she said.Cindy Yeast, a 50-year-old Washington-area publicist, called the findingsdisappointing. She started taking supplements two years ago -- partly tostave off mild dementia that affects her elderly parents. Still, she saidshe is not sure the new findings will change her mind."Every time a new study comes out, you can't just react,'' Yeast said. "Youhave to weigh what is this doing for me now.''The results come from the Women's Health Initiative Memory Study, whichinvolved 4,532 women who used Prempro estrogen-progestin pills for anaverage of more than four years. It was funded in part by Prempro makerWyeth Pharmaceuticals.Probable dementia was diagnosed in 61 women -- 40 in the hormone group and21 taking placebo pills.The notion that hormone supplements are good for the mind has been aroundfor at least a decade. Doctors have speculated that estrogen protectsagainst cell damage and improves blood flow.Wyeth estimates that 1.2 million women are still taking Prempro pills, downfrom about 3.4 million before the study was halted last summer. Other typesof hormone supplements include patches and creams.Wyeth's Dr. Victoria Kusiak said it is unclear whether the disappointingresults would apply to younger patients. Still, she said she agrees withthose doctors who say that hormones should be used only to treat menopausesymptoms such as night sweats and hot flashes "for the shortest duration andthe lowest dose.''An arm of the Women's Health Initiative study involving estrogen-onlysupplements in women who have had a hysterectomy is continuing. Estrogenalone is not recommended for women with intact wombs because it increasesthe risk of uterine cancer. 2003, Chicago Tribune

SERIOUS ABOUT YOUR HEALTH?www.AyurvedicHerbsForHealth.com