Menopause News and Research

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Menopause is the time in a woman's life when her period stops. It usually occurs naturally, most often after age 45. Menopause happens because the woman's ovary stops producing the hormones estrogen and progesterone.

Study debunks false reports surrounding risk of hormone therapy

For over a decade, hormone therapy (HT) has been a hot topic in medicine. Unfortunately, women are still confused and concerned about using HT after two federally-funded studies linked HT to potentially serious health risks.

2 Mar 2015

Study: Plant compounds can help prevent liver damage during menopause

Women going through menopause often struggle with weight gain that results when their estrogen levels drop, and many turn to weight-loss supplements to help them shed those extra pounds. But those supplements may cause an accumulation of fat in the liver and a potentially life-threatening condition called non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.

26 Feb 2015

VagiCap improves quality of life, satisfaction for postmenopausal women with vulvar and vaginal atrophy

Newly released patient satisfaction survey results from a study of a novel investigational vaginal estrogen treatment show promise for improving quality of life and satisfaction for postmenopausal women who experience pain during sex and other symptoms associated with vulvar and vaginal atrophy (VVA).

23 Feb 2015

Many women fail to understand risks of unapproved, untested bioidentical hormone therapies

From 28% to 68% of women using hormones at menopause take compounded, so-called "bioidentical" hormones, but women don't understand the risks of these unapproved, untested treatments, shows an analysis of two large surveys, which was published online today in Menopause, the journal of The North American Menopause Society.

23 Feb 2015

$Postmenopausal women susceptible to bone fractures may be at increased risk for gum disease$

Postmenopausal women susceptible to bone fractures may be at increased risk for gum disease

Postmenopausal women susceptible to bone fractures may also be a higher risk for gum disease, according to researchers at Case Western Reserve University School of Dental Medicine and Case/Cleveland Clinic Postmenopausal Health Collaboration.

18 Feb 2015

Risk of ovarian cancer increased with even short-term HRT use

There has been much uncertainty regarding the risk of cancer associated with taking hormone replacement therapy (HRT) for the menopause. An analysis of all available evidence published in The Lancet today shows that HRT, even when taken for only a few years, significantly increases the risk of developing the two most common types of ovarian cancer.

13 Feb 2015

Researchers develop new method for preventing destructive activity of osteoclasts

Most existing treatments for pathological bone loss inhibit osteoclasts (bone-destroying cells) to limit bone degradation. However, by doing this, they also prevent bone formation since it is stimulated by the presence of these very same osteoclast cells. Researchers from the CNRS, Inserm and the Université de Montpellier and Université Jean Monnet - Saint-étienne have developed a new approach for preventing the destructive activity of osteoclasts without affecting their viability.

12 Feb 2015

New studies show that treating infertility with stem cells may not be realised

Whether or not infertility can be treated with stem cells has been a matter of debate for many years.

5 Feb 2015

News study finds association between chronic fatigue syndrome and early menopause

A newfound link between chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) and early menopause was reported online today in Menopause, the journal of The North American Menopause Society.

4 Feb 2015

Exposure to certain chemicals may lead to early menopause

Women who are exposed to certain chemicals are more likely to experience menopause at a younger age, according to a newly published study by a researcher from the University of Colorado School of Medicine at the Anschutz Medical Campus.

31 Jan 2015

Menopause does not exacerbate or cause sleep problems, shows study

Women in their late thirties and forties who have trouble sleeping are more than three times more likely to suffer sleep problems during menopause than women who have an easier time getting shut-eye, according to a new study by researchers from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania.

30 Jan 2015

Day-to-day chemical exposures linked to earlier menopause

Women whose bodies have high levels of chemicals found in plastics, personal-care products, common household items and the environment experience menopause two to four years earlier than women with lower levels of these chemicals, according to a new study at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis.

29 Jan 2015

Study finds relationship between menopausal symptoms, bone health in postmenopausal women

The first large prospective cohort study to examine the relationship between menopausal symptoms and bone health in postmenopausal women has found that those who experience moderate to severe hot flashes and night sweats during menopause tend to have lower bone mineral density and higher rates of hip fracture than peers with no menopausal symptoms.

23 Jan 2015

Study: Prostate cancer drug stabilizes memory loss for a year in women with Alzheimer's disease

Women with Alzheimer's disease showed stable cognition for a year when a drug that is more commonly used to treat advanced prostate cancer was added to their drug regimen, according to a new study from researchers at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

22 Jan 2015

Life satisfaction associated with higher bone density in older women

Women aged 60-70 who are satisfied with their lives have a higher bone density and they suffer from osteoporosis less frequently than their unsatisfied peers, according to a recent study completed at the University of Eastern Finland.

14 Jan 2015

Research findings may lead to new treatment for hypothyroidism

An international research team led by physician-scientists at Rush University Medical Center have gained new insights into hypothyroidism - a condition affecting about 10 million people in the U.S. - that may lead to new treatment protocols for the disease, particularly among the approximately 15 percent of patients for whom standard treatments are less effective.

14 Jan 2015

One cup of blueberries per day could help reduce blood pressure, arterial stiffness

Just one cup of blueberries per day could be the key to reducing blood pressure and arterial stiffness, both of which are associated with cardiovascular disease.

8 Jan 2015

Male hormone testosterone may increase risk of colon cancer

Previous cancer research has revealed that women are less likely than men to suffer from non-sex specific cancers such as cancer of the colon, pancreas and stomach. Scientists theorized that perhaps this trend was due to a protecting effect created by female hormones, such as estrogen, that help prevent tumors from forming. Now, researchers at the University of Missouri have found evidence suggesting that the male hormone testosterone may actually be a contributing factor in the formation of colon cancer tumors.

11 Dec 2014

Endocrinologist examines benefits and harms of testosterone therapy

An article in the latest edition of Australian Prescriber looks at the prescribing of testosterone, often used for ‘male menopause’ symptoms such as reduced energy, poor concentration and increased body fat. Over the past decade there has been a steep rise in the amount of testosterone dispensed in Australia and globally.

4 Dec 2014

Surprise WHI finding points to age, not menopause, as a risk factor for pelvic organ prolapse

Removing ovaries at hysterectomy does not increase a woman's risk of pelvic organ prolapse after menopause. In fact, removing ovaries lowers the risk of prolapse. This surprising finding from a Women's Health Initiative study was published online this week in Menopause, the journal of The North American Menopause Society.

27 Nov 2014