NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Events surrounding a baby girl's birth may affect the age at which she later goes through menopause. In a study of more than 20,000 middle-aged Puerto Rican and American women, researchers found that exposure in the womb to the man-made estrogen, diethylstilbestrol (DES), as well as certain characteristics of the mom, had small effects ...

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Researchers have wondered whether replacing the small amount of testosterone women stop producing after having hysterectomies could improve the memory loss many postmenopausal women experience. But testosterone treatment may not improve women's memory skills after such surgeries, according to a new study, suggesting that it may not help other women after menopause either. Women who ...

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Postmenopausal women who eat foods rich in estrogen-like plant chemicals called lignans may have a modestly decreased risk of developing breast cancer, a research review suggests. In an analysis of 21 studies published in the past 13 years, researchers found that postmenopausal women who reported the highest intakes of dietary lignans were 14 percent less likely ...

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - The antidepressant citalopram may help lessen the severity of menopausal hot flashes, at least in the short term, a new clinical trial suggests. The findings, from a seven-week study of 254 women, add to evidence that certain antidepressants can offer relief from severe hot flashes. Studies have found that some antidepressants in the class known as ...

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - A small new study has found that taking soy supplements may help postmenopausal women slim down. The effect, however, differed between African-Americans and whites: While white women lost more fat around their middles, black women showed greater overall reductions in body fat, researchers found. Researchers have been interested in soy's potential for treating problems that ...

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Walking for 45 minutes a few times a week may help women in the "battle of the bulge" that often accompanies menopause, and at the same time improve overall well being, hints new research from Canada. Pointing out that the 45 minutes can be broken up into shorter jaunts, researcher Dr. Pascale Mauriège, of Quebec's ...

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Iconic actress and sex symbol Raquel Welch had to face the process of aging doubly -- as a woman and as an international celebrity famous by her body. In her new book, "Raquel: Beyond the Cleavage," the American actress discusses getting older, starting a career at age 19 with two children in tow and reconciling her public persona ...

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Exercise may help older women maintain their bone density, but adding the supplement black cohosh to the routine does not bring any extra benefits, a new study suggests. Researchers found that among 128 postmenopausal women they studied for one year, those who were randomly assigned to regularly exercise generally maintained their bone density. In contrast, women ...

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Despite supplement makers' claims and popular perceptions, the benefits of soy in fighting hot flashes in women going through menopause remain unproven, according to a new analysis of 19 studies. Soy contains estrogen-like compounds, and researchers have proposed that the amount of soy a woman consumes may influence her risk of having hot flashes and night ...

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Estrogen-like compounds found in soy won't help limit body fat in post-menopausal women, new research shows. Animal studies and small studies in humans have offered some evidence that these compounds, known as isoflavones, could help build muscle mass and reduce fat mass, Dr. Oksana A. Matvienko of the University of Northern Iowa in Cedar Falls ...