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Scientists pinpoint exactly when women should start HRT to slash dementia risk
The Independent • • general
Key Points:
- New research from the University of East Anglia and the University of Exeter indicates that women who begin hormone replacement therapy (HRT) between ages 46 and 56 may reduce their risk of dementia, including Alzheimer's disease, later in life.
- Analysis of over 183,000 post-menopausal women from the UK Biobank showed a 10% lower overall dementia risk and a 16% reduction in Alzheimer's risk among HRT users, with the greatest benefits observed when treatment started between 46 and 56 years old.
- Women carrying the APOE4 gene variant and those who underwent surgical menopause experienced even greater reductions in dementia risk when using HRT, with decreases of 13% and 26% respectively.
- The study suggests that women with naturally lower lifetime estrogen exposure, such as those with late-onset periods or early menopause, also saw a 16% reduced odds of dementia after HRT use.
- Experts highlight that these findings support a personalized approach to HRT prescribing, emphasizing the importance of timing during the menopause transition to maximize cognitive health benefits.
