Skip to main content

Hormone Replacement Therapy Could Ease Depression Around Menopause

Medically reviewed by Carmen Pope, BPharm. Last updated on Feb 26, 2024.

By Dennis Thompson HealthDay Reporter

MONDAY, Feb. 26, 2024 -- Hormone replacement therapy might help women avoid depression as they go through menopause, a new study finds.

Women treated with hormone therapy at a menopause clinic in Ontario, Canada, experienced a reduction in their symptoms of depression, researchers report Feb. 21 in the journal Menopause.

This improvement occurred whether or not antidepressants were also prescribed, results showed.

“This study showed a beneficial effect of hormone therapy on mood symptoms during menopause when used alone and a synergistic effect when used in combination with antidepressants,” said Dr. Stephanie Faubion, medical director for The Menopause Society.

“It also highlights the high prevalence of mood symptoms during this transition and the need to address women's symptoms holistically rather than having a singular focus on hot flash management," Faubion added in a society news release.

Depression has been shown to be particularly likely to occur around the time of menopause, researchers said.

In this study of 170 women, about 62% of participants scored as “depressed,” said researchers led by Dr. Alison Shea, from The Research Institute of St. Joseph's Healthcare in Hamilton.

Hormone therapy has been shown to effectively manage hot flashes, but its ability to address mood-related symptoms is less established, researchers said in background notes.

Hormones influence the brain pathways that regulate mood during and after menopause, and are thought to play a role in depressive symptoms, the researchers said.

The toll of all the physical symptoms that accompany menopause also could dampen women’s moods, they added.

Women who went through natural menopause experienced significant improvement in their symptoms of depression, researchers found.

However, women who went through menopause due to cancer treatment or surgery did not have similar improvements, results showed.

Sources

  • The Menopause Society, news release, Feb. 21, 2024

Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.

© 2024 HealthDay. All rights reserved.

Posted February 2024

Read this next

Almost 1 in 3 Americans Know Someone Who's Died From a Drug Overdose

FRIDAY, May 31, 2024 -- As the opioid addiction crisis continues to lay waste to American life, a new survey finds that nearly a third of U.S. adults now know someone who's died...

Could Tough Workouts Trigger a Hot Flash?

FRIDAY, May 31, 2024 -- While going through menopause, many women who gain weight head to the gym for intense workouts, but new research suggests that too much exercise may help...

Amsterdam's 'Psychiatric Ambulance' Could Be Advance For Those in Mental Health Crisis

FRIDAY, May 31, 2024 -- Ambulances meant for people having a mental health crisis could help folks get the care they need with less confrontation and friction, a new study...

More news resources

Subscribe to our newsletter

Whatever your topic of interest, subscribe to our newsletters to get the best of Drugs.com in your inbox.