While many peri- and post-menopausal women request bioidentical hormones, there is no data to suggest that bioidential hormones are safer or more effective than FDA-approved hormone replacement therapies.
Women are at increased risk for depressive symptoms during the menopause transition. It has long been suspected that falling estrogen levels play a role in triggering the onset of depression; however, if all women experience [...]
In 2008, the National Institutes of Health funded the Menopause Strategies: Finding Lasting Answers for Symptoms and Health or MSFlash clinical trials network. The primary goal of MSFlash has been to find and test [...]
There is cumulative evidence suggesting that estrogen might play a role in the development of schizophrenia and therefore may be useful in the treatment of this illness. On average, the first signs of schizophrenia appear [...]
Sexual dysfunction is common among peri- and postmenopausal women and include a spectrum of problems, including low (or hypoactive) sexual desire, decreased satisfaction, and discomfort. Reports indicate that the prevalence of hypoactive sexual desire [...]
Which treatment is best for managing menopausal sleep problems? We tend to think of estrogen replacement therapy as being the best option for all menopausal symptoms; however, there are other options for managing menopausal symptoms, [...]
In healthy perimenopausal women with hot flashes, treatment with both estradiol and venlafaxine resulted in significantly greater improvement in quality of life, as compared to placebo. Estradiol had beneficial treatment effects on all domains of the [...]
Women with bipolar disorder often experience fluctuating mood symptoms across the menstrual cycle, typically reporting an exacerbation of symptoms during the premenstrual phase of the cycle (Rasgon et al, 2003, 2005). Other studies have indicated [...]
Early observational studies suggested that postmenopausal hormone treatment may improve cognitive functioning in women; however, studies from the Women’s Health Initiative have shown that estrogen replacement therapy started in postmenopausal women (65 years or older) [...]
While many midlife women are interested in pursuing non-hormonal options for the treatment of menopausal symptoms, they are understandably concerned about taking antidepressant medications, such as SSRIs and SNRIs, that, while effective for treating hot [...]
