Cenegenics Complete Guide to Healthy Aging - (Page 25) Complete hysterectomy—surgical menopause. This operation removes the uterus and ovaries, dramatically altering a woman’s life. Besides cradling a fetus, the uterus produces menses. Ovaries, in concert with that, produce eggs (ova) and essential hormones needed to regulate menstruation, overall health, vitality and libido. After a hysterectomy, menses stop and the ability to have children ceases. The ovaries, however, continue producing essential hormones, unless both are removed in a complete hysterectomy. When a premenopausal woman has both ovaries removed with the uterus, she abruptly enters menopause. There is no gradual passage. Consequently, she often experiences heightened menopausal symptoms that can be overwhelming, since they come on so suddenly. Loss of ovaries also halts her ability to produce testosterone. Consequently, libido wanes. And, since there no longer are uterine contractions or pressure against the cervix, sexual pleasure may be disturbed. Diminished hormones resulting from ovary removal cause vaginal dryness, making intercourse uncomfortable or painful. Additional concerns come into play, such as increased risk for osteoporosis and heart disease. Is it any wonder women experiencing surgical menopause often become depressed and feel totally overwhelmed? Does hormonal optimization help? Yes. A study in the September 000 New England Journal of Medicine examined the effects of transdermal testosterone treatment in women with impaired sexual function after oophorectomy (both ovaries removed). The women, ages 3 to , showed significant improvement in sexual function, mood and overall well-being. If you’re considering having your ovaries removed, we recommend seeing a Cenegenics physician or a doctor trained in hormone replacement therapy before surgery, to help ease your transition and discuss the best approach for you. Just how safe is hormone replacement therapy? Recent analysis reversed previous findings about hormones and heart risk. In 00, researchers did an about face on the subject of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) after fuller analysis of the -yearlong Women’s Health Initiative (WHI), generated in 00. Researchers now say “timing” is the issue. Using hormones in the first years after menopause begins does not increase heart risk. The best candidate for hormonal use, according to the new analysis, is “a recently menopausal woman, in her mid-0s or early 0s, who seeks relief from hot flashes and other symptoms.” ii. th e The WHI study may have been marketed as the “most definitive, far reaching programs of research on women’s health in the U.S.”—but it is one of the most poorly designed studies. It looked at women who were already off of hormones for 0- years, which automatically put them in the high-risk zone for cancer and heart disease. If the endocrine system is diminished, the body becomes at-risk for disease— and these women are proof. More to the point, the study was really about Premarin—an artificial hormone made from horse urine, not natural hormones. Researchers looked at women who were only on that form of estrogen, not any other forms or any other types of delivery systems. u niversal tr uth : ag ing WWW.CENEGENICS.COM II. the Universal truth: Aging And like other women who haven’t undergone surgery, these women will experience perimenopause and the resulting change, occurring thanks to diminished hormones. Cenegenics takes into consideration every woman’s unique needs, personalizing a program to keep her body functioning optimally. After a hysterectomy, women experience such an extreme thrust into menopause, they need to have their estradiol and progesterone levels determined and treated immediately. At Cenegenics, we deal with surgical menopause patients exactly as we do with menopausal patients. We use the same test for hormonal levels and suggest the same type of hormones. Apparently, the data also revealed that women using HRT from ages 0 to 9 had a 30% lower risk of dying of any cause during the WHI study than those given a placebo. The original controversy on HRT use stemmed from an article, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) on July , 00, which reported results of the WHI study—a study that incorrectly blamed estrogen for some negative effects. The study has since been repudiated. http://WWW.CENEGENICS.COM
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