Katie Price reveals her family are desperately trying to persuade her to get medical help after dramatic weight loss as she brands herself a ‘stick woman’
WHAT IS HRT AND WHAT DOES IT DO?
HRT replaces estrogen, whose levels fall after menopause. Women usually take a combination of synthetic estrogen and a second hormone, progesterone.
‘Most women in the UK take combined HRT because taking estrogen alone can increase the risk of developing uterine cancer,’ says Kathy Abernethy, president of the British Menopause Society. ‘Estrogen-only HRT is usually only given to women who have had their womb removed.’
ARE THERE ANY RISKS TO CONSIDER?
A large US study by the US Women’s Health Initiative in 2002 was the first to raise alarm bells that HRT could lead to an increased risk of heart disease and breast cancer. As a result, many doctors stopped prescribing this drug overnight.
But the study turned out to be flawed; The average age of the women in the study was 63; Meanwhile, the risk of breast cancer was already increasing naturally and half of them were smokers.
‘Risks were overestimated for women aged 50 to 60, the normal age of menopause,’ says Kathy. ‘The benefits of HRT are clear for most women under 60 and most women over 60.’
So DOES HRT REALLY CAUSE CANCER?
Kathy says any risks come with longer use.
Cancer Research UK says there is strong evidence that HRT can cause breast, uterine and ovarian cancer, but the chances are low compared to other risk factors. To put it in perspective, minimizing HRT could prevent 1,400 cancer deaths a year, while maintaining a healthy weight could prevent 13,200 and quitting smoking could prevent 22,000.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER SIDE EFFECTS?
‘Women taking HRT may experience side effects such as breast tenderness, headache, nausea, indigestion, abdominal pain and vaginal bleeding,’ says Professor Kamila Hawthorne, vice-chair of professional development at the Royal College of General Practitioners. Taking HRT as a tablet (not a patch or gel) may slightly increase the risk of blood clots.
WHO SHOULD NOT RECEIVE HRT?
Those with a personal or family history of hormone-sensitive cancers such as ovarian and breast, and women who have had deep vein thrombosis. High blood pressure should be under control before starting HRT.
WHAT ARE THE ALTERNATIVES?
Non-hormonal options include Tibolone (Livial), derived from Mexican yam, which mimics estrogen. Clonidine, a blood pressure medication that affects the dilation of blood vessels, can relieve hot flashes and night sweats.
Bioidentical hormones derived from plant estrogens and prescribed by private clinics are said to be similar to human sex hormones. However, the NHS does not recommend these as they are not regulated.
