As people age, they develop fears that didn’t trouble them in their younger years. Perhaps the greatest fear is that of losing their minds and personality to the terrible affliction of Alzheimer’s disease.
Bioidentical hormone replacement therapy, specifically estrogen, can help women remain active and youthful well into their “golden” years – and such treatment may play a role in preventing the development of Alzheimer’s disease.
Perhaps women initially consider estrogen therapy to restore lost libido or stop hot flashes, but end up retaining their faculties as long as they live because of this treatment. Call our clinic today to learn more about Connecticut estrogen treatment and Alzheimer’s prevention.
Studies show that estrogen replacement therapy appears to prevent the onset of Alzheimer’s disease when given to women in early menopause and prior to age 60. Once Alzheimer’s disease is diagnosed, estrogen supplementation does not appear to affect the disease’s progression.
However, there is increasing evidence that prophylactic use of estrogen replacement therapy in Connecticut prevents or at least delays Alzheimer’s development in women when used during that specific period of life between perimenopause and age 60. Some studies find benefit for women undertaking hormone replacement therapy up to age 63.
Women going through menopause often complain of “brain fog,” including memory loss and cognitive issues. Once started on an estrogen therapy regimen, these cognitive problems clear up. Estrogen is known to support brain cell function and boosts acetylcholine levels in the brain.
This neurotransmitter allows neurons to communicate with each other. Acetylcholine levels are among the first victims in an Alzheimer’s’ ravaged brain. In fact, drugs currently marketed to slow down Alzheimer’s development work by increasing acetylcholine’s efficacy. Estrogen produces the same effect naturally, before Alzheimer’s has taken hold.
Bioidentical estrogens are molecularly the same as the hormones produced by a woman’s own body. After menopause, the ovaries no longer produce estrogen, but fat cells do create a weaker version.
Unlike standard hormone replacement therapy – which derives from pregnant mares’ urine – bioidentical estrogen replacement therapy is plant-based. Soy and wild yam, the source of plant-based estrogens, do not increase the risk of breast cancer or heart disease related to the use of conjugated equine estrogens.
To learn more about how Connecticut estrogen replacement therapy might help prevent Alzheimer’s disease, call Dr. Edward Jacobson’s office today and arrange a consultation.