Is It Ever Too Late for Hormone Replacement?

Now that we are all aware of the multiple health benefits of taking menopausal hormone therapy, let's dig into some of the questions regarding timing, particularly for estrogen. There's no doubt that starting estradiol as soon as possible after menopause helps keep our blood vessels healthy, and reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease as well as multiple other diseases, including Alzheimer's. But what if you were not offered hormones and you are now more than 10 years past menopause? Today I'll be talking about what studies have shown regarding the possible risks of starting estrogen later in life, and why these risks may have been overblown and don't apply to everybody. I'll also talk about the myth that hormones should be stopped at some point, and discuss why this idea ever became popular.