Estrogen, Hormone Therapy and Menopause

What is estrogen?

Estrogen is a hormone made mostly by a woman’s ovaries. It plays an important role in puberty, the menstrual cycle, pregnancy and overall reproductive health.

Estrogen levels naturally change throughout life. Levels rise during puberty and pregnancy and drop after childbirth, during breastfeeding and after menopause.

How does estrogen affect heart health?

Estrogen helps keep blood vessels stay open and flexible, allowing blood to flow more easily throughout the body.

Research shows that estrogen may help protect heart health in several ways. It can lower LDL ("bad") cholesterol and reduce inflammation in blood vessels. These effects may help slow the buildup of plaque in the arteries, which can lead to a heart attack or stroke.

Scientists know estrogen supports heart health and continue to study how it affects the heart and blood vessels.

What happens after menopause?

After menopause, the body makes much less estrogen. This change can affect many parts of a woman's health, including her heart and brain.

Lower estrogen levels may contribute to changes in cholesterol, blood pressure, blood sugar and blood vessel function. These changes can increase the risk of heart disease over time.

Estrogen plays an important role in a woman's heart health throughout life. As estrogen levels change during menopause, understanding those changes can help women take steps to protect their hearts and overall health.

Can hormone therapy help manage menopause symptoms?

Hormone therapy is a treatment that uses estrogen, sometimes along with another hormone called progestogen, to help manage menopause symptoms. Hormone therapy comes in several forms, including pills, patches, gels, vaginal rings, vaginal creams and pills.

Hormone therapy can help with symptoms that begin during perimenopause and continue after menopause, such as hot flashes, night sweats and vaginal dryness.

Hormone therapy does not undo or reverse the natural hormone changes that happen during a woman’s menstrual cycle. Instead, it provides lower and more steady levels of estrogen.

What are the risks of hormone therapy?

Research shows that the heart-related risks of hormone therapy are generally lowest when low-dose estrogen patches are used. Risks may also depend on a woman’s age and how long it has been since menopause began. The timing of treatment may matter. Some studies suggest that hormone therapy started before age 60 or within 10 years of menopause may not increase the risk of heart disease.

However, starting hormone therapy later in menopause does not appear to lower the risk of heart disease or stroke. Although hormone therapy can be a solution to treating menopausal symptoms, its use is not recommended in preventing heart disease.

Is hormone therapy right for me?

If you are considering hormone therapy, talk with your healthcare team about the benefits and risks. They can help you decide whether hormone therapy is right for you based on your health history, symptoms and personal needs.