A new study done by George Washington University found that HRT does benefit women who are just starting menopause, around the age of 50. It protects from heart disease and does not increase cancer risks. But for women in their 60s this is not the case. Ellen

I heard about that also, but they still caution to take the lowest possible dose for the shortest possible time. So I think there is still a lot they don't know. They mentioned that they were going to do another study to try and verify the benefits/risks of HRT.....it's about time and hopefully they will get it right this time so that we can make informed decisions.

Now remember, I am post meno and will think accordingly. The new study on artificial hormones. Obviously that must negate the fact that one's body is unable to utilize it? Or...because of the previous study warning women about it and the monetary fall out thereafter? Tsk, tsk.

Ruth,
The recent (good) news was looking at the estrogen-only part of the WHI study. To me this would implicate the progestin(Provera) as well as the age of the women in the study and their pre-existing heart conditions. It was a badly put together study but yes even horse estrogen seems to work in the human body. (If I remember correctly, Premarin is largely estrone. Even oral estradiol gets broken down into mostly estrone. (Transdermal estradiol stays mostly estradiol.)

The "gooder" (!) news is that it sounds like "they" are finally going to study the effects on women who start hormones at the time of menoapuse. They are even going to use bioidentical (oral and patch I think) estrogens! I hope that they use Prometrium and get Provera out of the equation (a personal feeling.)

Studies do exist for young women (younger than 40) who for whatever reason have stopped producing hormones (or have had early hystys.) You can check the NIH for results of these studies. They do show that without estrogen, especially in younger women there is a much higher rate of heart disease and osteoporosis. I think that most of these studies have been with bioidentical estrogen.

Oh -- I just thought of this. New studies are being done and they need people to be in them. I think that the site is something like clinicaltrials.gov . I just checked and yup, that's it. Type in estrogen to do a search. I've heard of this KEEPS study. I'm not eligible (as I'm not going to go off of my HRT and I'm on a higher strength that they are using) but yes, they are using an estradiol patch as one of the estrogens. (Premarin as the other.) Prometrium is what they're using as the progestogen -- finally, eh?

If any of you want to contribute to what looks like some much better studies, you might want to look at entering a clinical trial. My aunt was in the WHI study and had started on Prempro when she started meno at around 50. She did end up getting Prempro and has since weaned off. She's in her late 60's now and fitter than most 30 year olds that I know.
This site would probably be a good place to get the word out on some of these new studies that are recruiting.

Sorry - didn't mean to go off on a tangent there... it just came to mind.

Take care,
green