Is estrogen supplementation necessary after menopause?

Nowadays, many female friends have experienced premature menopause, which makes them feel very distressed. After all, the decline of ovarian function means that people will gradually age. So do they need to supplement estrogen after menopause? Even after menopause, estrogen needs to maintain normal secretion. If there is less estrogen in the body, it can easily lead to the occurrence of some diseases, so we still need to be vigilant about this.

The need for hormone supplementation

After menopause, estrogen levels drop, and many women experience annoying symptoms such as hot flashes, irritability, dryness and pain caused by atrophy of the urethral and vaginal mucosa. Osteoporosis, cardiovascular disease and Alzheimer's disease are also related to the decline of estrogen. Therefore, scientific estrogen supplementation can alleviate these symptoms and reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis and other diseases.

Risks of hormone supplementation

Simply supplementing estrogen can cause excessive growth of the endometrium and even cancer. Therefore, when women with a uterus take hormone supplements, they must use progesterone at the same time to counteract the effects of estrogen.

Who should take hormone supplements?

Progestins should not be used by women who are pregnant, have unexplained vaginal bleeding, have breast cancer, certain malignant tumors such as liver cancer, have recent or ongoing thrombosis, severe liver and kidney dysfunction, porphyria and otosclerosis, or meningioma.

Who should be cautious about estrogen supplementation?

Patients with uterine fibroids, endometriosis, a history of endometrial hyperplasia, poorly controlled diabetes or hypertension, patients with hypercoagulable blood that may form blood clots, patients with systemic lupus erythematosus, benign breast diseases, family history of breast cancer, gallbladder disease, epilepsy, migraine, asthma, and hyperprolactinemia.

When to start hormone supplementation

The "golden period" for hormone supplementation is starting when menopausal symptoms appear or before the age of 60, when the effects are best, especially for the cardiovascular system. Starting hormone supplementation after the age of 60 has limited effect, and starting it too late may even increase the risk of Alzheimer's disease.

How long does hormone supplementation last?

There is no required time, depending on the purpose and effect of hormone supplementation. However, no matter how long you take the supplement, you should regularly see your doctor to check the effectiveness of the supplement and any side effects.

Through the above introduction, everyone is clear about whether estrogen supplementation is needed after menopause. You must gradually improve your lifestyle habits, especially the need for a reasonable diet and maintaining normal estrogen secretion levels in the body to ensure human health. Of course, everything should be consumed in moderation and not too much.