About 80% of women experience vasomotor symptoms (VMS) – hot flashes and night sweats — as they transition into the menopause phase. For most, the symptoms are manageable, but for a sizeable subset of midlife [...]
Increasing numbers of peri- and post-menopausal women request “bioidentical” rather than synthetic hormones. Although there is a tendency to think of bioidentical hormones as “all-natural”, they, like synthetic hormones, are manufactured in the laboratory. In [...]
While there have been concerns regarding the risks associated with prolonged use of hormone replacement, an increasing number of studies suggest that the risk may be relatively low in certain populations and that hormone replacement [...]
We commonly receive questions regarding the potential effects of oral contraceptives (birth control pills) on mood and risk for depression. Despite the prevalence of OC usage, few studies have explored the association between hormonal contraceptive [...]
It has been hypothesized that both premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) and postpartum depression (PPD) occur as the result of rapid shifts in the levels of ovarian hormones. Data regarding the prevalence of PPD among women [...]
Estrogens have neuroprotective and antidepressant effects. During the perimenopause, when estrogen levels fluctuate and then fall significantly, women are more vulnerable to depression and cognitive deficits. A recent study has investigated the association between age [...]
According to data presented at the annual meeting of the North American Menopause Society (NAMS) in Las Vega, a growing number of perimenopausal women are asking their doctors for compounded or bioidentical hormones. Although bioidentical [...]
This article in Psychiatric Times reviews some interesting research which suggests that drugs which modulate the estrogen receptor may improve cognitive functioning in patients with schizophrenia. This is the first study to show that oral [...]
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, [...]
Because women appear to be at increased risk for new onset and recurrent depression as they transition into the menopause, it has been hypothesized that declining ovarian function -- or estrogen "withdrawal" -- may trigger [...]
