Facts About Menopause

DHEA hormone may help women through menopause: study

2011-12-19T16:30:09Z

LONDON (Reuters) - A hormone called DHEA and mostly secreted by the adrenal glands may be able to help women who are going through menopause and could also give them better sex lives, a study found on Tuesday.

Italian researchers writing in the journal of the International Menopause Society, Climacteric, said they had found the first robust evidence that low doses of DHEA can he...

Extra walking does not improve muscle strength

2011-12-16T16:00:09Z

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Women who walk at least 10,000 steps a day have no greater muscle strength and perform no better on tests of balance and agility than women who walk fewer than 7,500 steps, according to a new study.

Researchers did find, however, that extra walking each day is tied to favorable measures of body fat, weight and endurance.

"This tells me more is better in term...

Many chemicals unproven to raise breast cancer risk

2011-12-07T16:30:39Z

Women who want to reduce their risk of breast cancer may have heard they should avoid exposure to industrial chemicals but scientific evidence has so far not proven a direct link, said a US group Wednesday.

The review of existing studies by the Institute of Medicine (IOM), part of the US National Academies of Science, sought to separate the myth from the reality when it comes to what has -- and h...

Chinese herb mix may cool hot flashes a bit

2011-12-02T12:30:28Z

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - A mix of certain traditional Chinese herbs thought to have weak estrogen-like activity might help ease menopausal hot flashes, a small clinical trial suggests.

But the herbal mix, dubbed Jiawei Qing'e Fang, is not widely available. And while the new study suggested some benefits, it had enough limitations that the true effects of the herbs are still unclear, accor...

Yoga may ease insomnia, menopause problems

2011-11-30T14:30:31Z

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - A couple of yoga sessions a week could help ease sleep problems and other effects of menopause, a small study suggests.

The study, reported in the journal Menopause, included postmenopausal women diagnosed with insomnia.

"We are not saying that yoga can cure postmenopausal symptoms," Dr. Helena Hachul,...

Estrogen use tied to bladder control problems

2011-10-28T07:00:29Z

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Postmenopausal women who take estrogen for years are more likely to experience incontinence than those on the hormone for a shorter time or not at all, a new study finds.

Of 167 women surveyed in the early 1990s and again in 2004, those who had taken estrogen for five years or more were three to four times more likely to report bladder control problems in the seco...

Soy supplement may improve crow's feet

2011-10-27T09:30:22Z

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - An experimental supplement derived from soy may help postmenopausal women smooth their "crow's feet" a bit, a small pilot study suggests.

The supplement, known for now as SE5-OH, is under development by a Tokyo-based drug and supplement maker, Reuters) - Women who smoke may hit menopause about a year earlier than those who don't light up, according to a study that also notes an earlier menopause may influence the risk of getting bone and heart diseases.

The study, which was carried in the journal Menopause, pooled data from several previous studies that included about 6,000 women in the Reuters Health) - A daily spoonful of Malaysian honey may boost postmenopausal women's memory, researchers say in a new report that aims to provide an "alternative therapy" for hormone-related intellectual decline.

In the study, 102 healthy women were randomly assigned to eat 20 grams of honey a day, take hormone-replacement therapy containing estrogen and progesterone or do nothin...

Mixed data on hot flashes drug drags Depomed to year

2011-10-14T08:30:33Z

(Reuters) - Shares of Depomed Inc fell as much as 29 percent to their lowest in a year, after the specialty pharmaceutical company said its experimental drug to treat menopausal hot flashes showed mixed results in a late-stage study.

The trial data for the drug, Serada, could be a setback for Depomed's plans to get the drug quickly to market to bols...

Flaxseed may not cool hot flashes: study

2011-10-13T23:00:13Z

(Reuters) - Eating flaxseed may not ease menopausal hot flashes after all, despite some promising early evidence that it might, according to a U.S. study.

Researchers at the Mayo Clinic in Rocheste...

Flaxseed may not cool hot flashes

2011-10-13T17:01:03Z

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Despite some promising early evidence, a new clinical trial suggests that flaxseed may not ease menopausal hot flashes after all.

In a study of 188 women, researchers found those who were randomly assigned to eat a daily flaxseed bar saw no more improvement in their hot flashes than women given flax-free "placebo" bars.

Over six weeks, more than one-third of...

Women who exercise a lot hit menopause earlier

2011-10-11T18:30:43Z

(Reuters) - Women who spend a lot of time exercising or eat a heart-healthy diet appear to reach menopause earlier, according to a Japanese study -- findings that researchers say could be important for cancer prevention.

Researchers led by Chisato Nagata at Gifu University tracked more than 3,100 premenopausal women over 10 years. Those who exercised the most -- about eight to 10 hours a week -- were 17 ...

Pregnant at 61: late-in-life choice stirs debate in Brazil

2011-09-25T20:30:12Z

A woman who at 61 is expecting not a pension check but her first baby has stirred some controversy in Brazil over just when it might be too late to give birth.

The woman in question, whose case has appeared in local media, asked that her name be withheld. She is post-menopausal, married to a man who is 38, and became pregnant with a donor egg. She is due in November.

"I had already gone through menopause... My husband wanted to be a...

Novartis drug may help older breast cancer patients

2011-09-25T05:30:07Z

STOCKHOLM (Reuters) - Novartis's bone drug zometa" class="inform">Zometa extended survival in older breast cancer patients but failed to improve disease-free survival among younger women patients in a large-scale clinical trial, resear...

Soy may not prevent clogged arteries

2011-09-15T14:30:25Z

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Taking extra soy supplements did not help stave off artery hardening in a new study of postmenopausal women.

But, researchers said, soy showed a possible benefit in young women just a few years after menopause -- warranting more research in that age group.

The findings add to conflicting data about the role of soy in lowering blood pressure and cholesterol a...

Women may get unneeded osteoporosis screening

2011-08-29T10:30:42Z

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Many women who get screened for the bone-thinning disease osteoporosis may not actually need such testing, a new study suggests.

A number of expert guidelines say that women age 65 or older should get a bone scan to screen for osteoporosis, a condition in which bones become fragile and vulnerable to breaks. Some women with risk factors for osteoporosis, such as sm...

Hip fracture risk rises after women stop hormones: research

2011-08-29T08:00:14Z

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - When postmenopausal women discontinue hormone therapy, their bone mineral density drops and their risk of a hip fracture climbs, new research suggests.

Among nearly 81,000 postmenopausal women followed for six and a half years, stopping hormone therapy was linked with an overall 55 percent increased risk of hip fracture.

The jump in chances of a fracture was...

Soy may not provide relief during menopause: study

2011-08-08T19:00:09Z

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Taking soy supplements may not help women ease their menopause symptoms or prevent the bone changes that start at that time of life, suggests a new study from Florida.

Women who took the supplements every day for two years didn't have any improvement in their symptoms compared with those who took a soy-free placebo pill -- and they suffered more hot f...

Japanese herb for hot flashes fails in U.S. trial

2011-07-22T12:00:26Z

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - An herbal remedy widely used in Japan to ease menopause symptoms failed to show the same benefits in a clinical trial of U.S. women, researchers report.

The study looked at the effects of keishi-bukuryo-gan, a mix of cinnamon bark, peach pit and several...

Flaxseed fails to reduce hot flashes: US study

2011-06-05T18:30:16Z

Contrary to previous research, a study out Sunday showed that flaxseed is ineffective in reducing hot flashes among menopausal women.

"The results were surprising. Pilot study data suggested that flaxseed use was associated with reduction in hot flashes," wrote study lead author Sandhya Pruthi, associate professor of medicine at the Mayo...

Paternal smoking linked to menopause age in daughters

2011-06-02T08:30:40Z

NEW YORK (Reuters Life!) - If men smoke when their partners are pregnant, their daughters may end up reaching menopause about a year earlier than their peers, according to a study.

Previous research has found that a woman's own smoking habits, as well as those of her partner, may also have an impact on her fertility and may precipitate the point at which she can no longer get pregnant.

Dad's smoking linked to menopause in daughters

2011-06-01T12:30:19Z

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - When men smoke while their partners are pregnant, their daughters may end up hitting menopause about a year earlier, suggests a new study.

Previous research has found that a woman's own smoking habits, as well her partner's, may also precipitate the point at which she can no longer get pregnant.

Now, "it seems that the effect of paternal smoking on daughters...

Antidepressant may not cut hot flashes after all

2011-05-26T09:30:24Z

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - New research throws a wet blanket on an earlier study that showed women in menopause might get dramatic relief from hot flashes by taking the antidepressant Lexapro.

According to the new findings, ...

Menopause age related to when mom went through it

2011-05-25T13:30:15Z

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - The age at which women go through menopause depends a lot on when their relatives did, according to new study findings.

Specifically, women whose mothers or sisters experienced menopause by age 45 were roughly 6 times more likely to do the same. Women who underwent menopause at a relatively late age - 54 or older - were also 6 times more likely to have seen the sa...

Hot flashes may last a decade or more: study

2011-05-08T21:30:08Z

NEW YORK (Reuters Life!) - The hot flashes that are common during and after menopause may last an average of more than 10 years, more than twice as long as previously assumed, according to a U.S. Study.

The research, published in "Obstetrics and Gynecology," also found that women who start getting hot flashes before menopause or in th...

PFCs linked to earlier menopause

2011-04-06T11:30:13Z

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Women exposed to high levels of certain household-product chemicals may go through menopause at a younger age than other women, a new study finds.

The chemicals in question are called perfluorocarbons, or PFCs, and they have historically been widely used in products ranging from furniture and carpeting to non-stick pans, plastic food containers and clothing. Their...

Girls in girl-boy twin pairs may be a bit heavier

2011-03-18T15:00:04Z

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Girls who have a male twin seem more likely to put on a few extra pounds as they get older, suggests a new study.

Previous studies have suggested that women with a male twin have higher levels of aggressiveness and rule-breaking behavior, as well as a lower risk of eating disorders.

For this study, published in the International Journal of Obesity, Dr....

Mindfulness classes help women with hot flashes

2011-03-17T15:00:09Z

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Women with severe hot flashes said their quality of life improved after taking mindfulness classes that included meditation and stretching exercises, according to a new study.

The findings also suggest that such classes could help improve sleep quality, stress, and anxiety in women during menopause.

In 2002, the Women's Health Initiative study found that the...

Hormones may be better than soy for hot flashes

2011-03-15T12:30:16Z

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Hormone replacement therapy may work slightly better than soy at reducing menopausal hot flashes, a new study says.

Women who took such hormones had fewer hot flashes, on average, than women who took soy - and both had fewer than those who took a placebo, or "dummy pill."

"The bottom line for someone who is very disturbed by hot flashes, the best treatment i...

Hot flashes, night sweats tied to heart risks

2011-02-25T09:30:22Z

CHICAGO (Reuters) - Women who have hot flashes and night sweats at the start of menopause may be less likely to have a heart attack later in life, U.S. researchers said on Thursday.

But women who develop these symptoms later in menopause may have higher heart disease risks, the team reported in the journal Menopause.

"Our study...

Starting HRT early raises breast cancer risk: study

2011-01-28T14:00:19Z

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Women who start hormone replacement therapy (HRT) as they begin to go through menopause have a higher risk of breast cancer than women who start taking the drugs later, researchers reported on Friday.

The findings, published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, he...

Study finds no evidence black cohosh damages liver

2011-01-28T12:30:22Z

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Despite reports of liver damage in some women using black cohosh to ease menopause symptoms, clinical trials testing one major brand of this herb have so far found no evidence that it is to blame, according to a research review.

Extracts of black cohosh, a plant native to North America, are mar...

Antidepressant Lexapro cuts hot flashes: study

2011-01-18T15:00:12Z

CHICAGO (Reuters) - The antidepressant Lexapro significantly cut the number and severity of hot flashes in healthy menopausal women, offering a new way to treat the condition without hormones, U.S. researchers said on Tuesday.

Hormone replacement therapy or HRT is the only approved treatment for hot f...

USPSTF expands osteoporosis screening guidelines

2011-01-18T13:30:33Z

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - New guidelines for osteoporosis screening released today recommend testing for women as young as 50, depending on individual risk factors.

The recommendations come from the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF), part of the U.S. government's

Philippine MP in hot water over sexist tirade

2011-01-12T14:31:05Z

A Philippine politician apologised Wednesday for a sexist tirade against a female airline worker who stopped him switching seats on a plane.

Philippine Airlines boarding gate employee Sarah Ocampo will ask parliament to punish Eulogio Magsaysay for disgraceful conduct when he and his family were about to board a flight to the Reuters) - Prescriptions for hormone replacement therapy have fallen more than 50 percent in the United States since 2001, but doctors are still inexplicably giving women high-dose pills linked to strokes and cancer, researchers reported on Thursday.

The