Estrogen is without a doubt the best treatment for the symptoms of menopause. For the first half of 2002, estrogen was the number 1 prescribed pill in the United States. But after the infamous 2002 Women’s Health Initiative (WHI) study erroneously reported that women who take estrogen plus a synthetic progesterone called Provera have a …
In this post, I would like to share my thoughts on some important points related to Angelina Jolie, estrogen and breast cancer that are impactful yet have been largely overlooked by most of the coverage. As you likely know, about two years ago Angelina Jolie, who has the BReast CAncer (BRCA1) gene and a strong …
Are you worried your brain fog is early demntia, an overall term used to describe a decline in your brain health. This can include the loss of your mental ability to think, remember and/or learn. Alzheimer’s is the most common form of dementia and accounts for 60-80 percent of all cases. In fact, according to …
A new study found that certain chemicals in plastic and some cosmetics are linked to earlier menopause, causing menopause to appear 2-4 years sooner than women who had lower levels of the substances. Because the study in the journal PLOS ONE only associated the chemicals from plastic and certain cosmetics with early menopause, it only …
People are always asking me what to expect as they enter into and go through menopause. They are trying to make sense of and come to peace with the symptoms they are struggling with. Of course there can be many symptoms, but some are clearly more common than others. For that reason, I’ve put together …
Many women think hot flashes, mood swings and weight gain are inevitable when they hit menopause. But with today’s available treatments, you can reduce – and even eliminate – menopause symptoms. Research has shown that you may even be able to protect yourself from breast cancer, heart disease and dementia. To maximize your protection and …
The holidays are a time of joy and happiness. But sometimes this time of year can leave you feeling a bit low. You want to do something about it, but what? According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) more than 1 in 9 Americans over age 12 take an antidepressant and 60% will be …
About 6000 women enter menopause every day and millions more are in the ten-year window around menopause called perimenopause. During my nearly 20 years at Harvard where I ran the Division of Reproductive Endocrinology at Harvard’s Beth Israel Hospital, and more recently as Director of the Complicated Menopause Program at the University of Massachusetts Medical …
There are definitely gender differences when it comes to psychiatric issues and substance abuse. Males are more at risk for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, autism, Tourette syndrome, oppositional defiant disorder and possibly schizophrenia. Because these often show up early in life, it’s thought they are caused or influenced by androgens and something that happens prenatally. On …
For women in menopause, narrowing and thinning of the vaginal tissues and vaginal dryness, a condition called vulvovaginal atrophy (VVA) is one of the most common symptoms. Though it affects over half of women, only 7% are treated and many are unaware that effective treatments are available. Typical symptoms are vaginal dryness that can lead …
