Hormone replacement therapy: Why it reduces the risk of depression

Hormone replacement therapy: Why it reduces the risk of depression

Hormone replacement therapy may help women avoid depression as they enter menopause, a new study suggests.

Women undergoing hormone therapy at a menopause clinic in Ontario, Canada, saw a decrease in depressive symptoms, regardless of whether antidepressants were prescribed. Dr. Stephanie Faubion, the medical director of The Menopause Society, stated, “The study demonstrated the positive impact of hormone therapy on menopausal mood disorders, both when used alone and in combination with antidepressants.” Faubion emphasized the importance of addressing women’s symptoms holistically during this transition, highlighting the prevalence of mood symptoms and the necessity of comprehensive treatment beyond managing hot flashes.

It has been shown that women have an increased chance of experiencing depression during menopause.

The study included 170 women, 62 percent of whom rated their symptoms as “depressed,” said researchers led by Dr. Alison Shea of the St. Louis Research Institute at Joseph’s Healthcare in Hamilton.

Hormone therapy has been shown to help effectively manage hot flashes, but its ability to treat mood-related symptoms has not been well established, the researchers said.

Hormones affect brain pathways that regulate mood during and after menopause and are thought to play a role in depressive symptoms, the researchers said.

The physical symptoms that accompany menopause also affect women’s mood.

Women who went through menopause naturally showed significant improvement in depression symptoms, the researchers found.

But those who went through menopause due to cancer treatment or surgery did not show similar improvements, the results showed.