Women warned about risks of alternative menopause treatments

Apr 26 2009

Scientists at the University of Adelaide in South Australia are warning women about the use of 'alternative' menopause treatments because many have not been properly tested.

The researchers say many women are now avoiding hormone replacement therapy (HRT) and are turning instead to 'alternative' menopause therapies for the relief of menopausal symptoms despite such therapies being unproven for safety and effectiveness.

The researchers say this is a concern because women are resorting to such alternative therapies for relief, without knowing the facts.

A review led by the researchers from the University of Adelaide, used data from the South Australian Health Omnibus Survey (HOS) which is a regular survey of health-related issues in South Australia.

The survey interviewed 953 women over the age of 40, which included 688 women over the age of 50 - the women were asked about various health-related issues, including HRT use.

The researchers found that in 2004, 15.8% of women above the age of 50 were using HRT, a fall from 22% per cent in the year 2000 and in 2004 the use of 'alternative hormonal therapies' was rare.

By 2008, conventional HRT use over age 50 had dropped further to 11.8% but the number of women taking alternative untested hormonal therapies had risen to 4.0%.

The researchers say women wrongly identified alternative therapies such as 'bioidentical hormone therapies' as a safe hormonal alternative to conventional HRT.

In 2008, 13.4% of women aged 50-59 years used HRT, compared with 7.7% in this age group who use unconventional, unregistered alternative hormones.

The lead researcher, Professor Alastair MacLennan, Head of Obstetrics & Gynaecology at the University of Adelaide, says he's concerned that women are turning to alternative therapies for relief of menopausal symptoms without knowing the facts and he suggests that alternative practitioners are capitalising on women's fears by promoting 'bioidentical' hormones, and herbal remedies.

Professor MacLennan says 'bioidentical' hormones are untested for long-term safety and efficacy and no herbal medicine has a greater effect than the normal placebo effect on menopausal symptoms. Menopause specialists say the best and safest period to commence HRT is near the menopause.

Professor MacLennan says most objective observers agree that the risks of HRT were overstated following the early results of part of the U.S. Women's Health Initiative study in 2002 and the scares led to a drop in HRT use, but for many women, the need for help through the menopause remains and they turn to those selling unproven and possibly dangerous alternatives.

Professor MacLennan believes HRT is still the best way to treat debilitating menopausal symptoms for the vast majority of women and says it is important that women suffering from menopausal symptoms discuss evidence-based management with a qualified doctor before choosing treatment.

The Chair of the International Menopause Society, Dr. David Sturdee, says it is extremely important that women receive the correct treatment, rather than try something which may have no effect or may even be harmful and should contact their doctor before starting any treatment for menopause symptoms.

The researchers say it is of medical concern that about one-quarter of women using HT around menopause now choose unregistered hormonal mixtures that are untested for long-term safety and efficacy.

The results are published in the April edition of the international journal Climacteric.