Hormone replacement therapy: is it possible to slow down aging?

Menopause, a period of transition that often brings with it debilitating symptoms and physical discomfort, is enriched with new hope: hormone replacement therapy (HRT) forIt could be a real panacea for women’s health. According to a recent study published in JAMA Network Open, analyzing data from more than 100,000 women, HRT appears not only to relieve the discomfort associated with the end childbearing age, but also to contribute to slower biological aging.

Researchers Liu Yufan and Chenglong Li, from Peking University, studied 117,763 postmenopausal women, with an average age of about 60 years. Well, women who had used HRT had an average biological age of 52 years, compared to a worse health condition for those who had never taken it. An important fact, especially for those in more vulnerable socioeconomic situations: «The promotion of hormone replacement therapy could be essential for aging», argue the authors.

The study sample revealed that 40.3% of participants had used HRT, with surprisingly positive results. In particular, the use of age-related hormone therapy is somewhat slowerwith an average difference of 0.17 years compared to those who never used it. However, the real revelation relates to the age at which the treatment started: women who started after the age of 45 benefited more, while those who started before the age of 44 showed a more marked age.

Another aspect to consider is the duration of treatment: those who had used HRT for a period of between 4 and 8 years showed that they were getting older. And it’s not just an aesthetic improvement; Dr. Céline Gounder, a public health expert, pointed out that the treatment can also reduce the risk of death, especially from cardiovascular diseases and tumors.

So the question of well-being during menopause will be a broader reflection, which includes the socio-economic aspect. Gounder points out that women of lower socio-economic status are aging, not only because of traditional risk factors such as smoking or alcohol, but also because of daily stress related to financial worries and future uncertainty. In such a context, na tos presents itself as a a potential resource not only to improve the quality of life, but also to deal more effectively with the challenges associated with ageing.