In the News

Can an anti-seizure drug help reduce hot flashes in menopausal women? That’s what researchers at the University of Toronto wanted to find out when they conducted a study involving 200 women, aged 45-60, who were having at least 14 hot flashes per week.  Half of the women received Gabapentin, a drug used to control certain types of epileptic seizures; the others received a placebo.  The results are encouraging. [click to continue...]

At the top of the list of menopausal symptoms women complain about most frequently is the inability to have a decent night sleep,due to hot and cold flashes, and weight creep.  The research to date has shown how sleep deprivation can be a factor in weight gain at any age.   But apparently, too much sleep can be just as bad if the results of a six-year Canadian study holds water. [click to continue...]

I just came across a recent study of middle-aged women, (1776 multi-ethnic women aged 47-59 to be precise), that concluded that overweight women are more likely to experience hot flashes and night sweats during menopause than women of normal weight.  This finding contradicts an earlier hypothesis that a reserve of estrogen in body fat shields women from these symptoms.  But the study’s researchers now think that excess fat makes it more difficult for the body to dissipate heat.

The study was published in the American Journal of Epidemiology.

If you or someone in your family are experiencing serious adverse reactions from drugs or medical devices, you can now report it directly to the FDA’s Medwatch program by going to this website. (This is where medical product safety alerts, recalls and important labeling changes are disseminated to medical professionals and the public.)  You’ll be given the option of taking the reporting form to your doctor (who is NOT required to report it to the FDA) or you can complete the online reporting form yourself. [click to continue...]

The Wall Street Journal has published a second article on hormone replacement that’s worth reading.  (See my recap of an earlier article on HRT here).This one focuses on how taking Estrogen can help women reverse memory impairment associated with menopause.  [click to continue...]

 An excellent Health Journal column in today’s Wall Street Journal, “Sorting Through the Choices for Menopause Hormones,” offers a “brief biology lesson” in the three kinds of estrogen to show that not all Hormone Replacement Therapy products are the same.   Here’s a recap of the article by Melinda Beck: [click to continue...]

Researchers at the University of North Carolina have concluded that the risk for cardiovascular disease posed by hormone use in menopause, seems to fade after women stop taking the synthetic hormones, estrogen and progestin. However, there may be a small, increased risk of other cancers. [click to continue...]

Last month, I wrote about the FDA’s action restricting certain compounding pharmacists from dipsensing bio-identical hormones containing estriol – a form of estrogen.  Wyeth, the biggest seller of prescription menopause hormones (Premarin and Prempro), had petitioned the FDA  in April, 2006, to take this action complaining that many compounders make false claims about the drugs’ safety.  The FDA says the two actions aren’t linked, but I say, what a coincidence! [click to continue...]

Vitamin D is one of 13 vitamins our bodies need to function properly, according to the American Dietetic Association. It’s a fat-soluble vitamin that promotes the absorption of calcium and phosphorus and helps deposit these minerals in bones and teeth to make them strong. It’s so important to our well-being that a group of prominent scientists have formed The Vitamin D Council, a non-profit organization with a mission to educate the public and professionals about Vitamin D deficiency and its numerous associated diseases (such as heart disease, stroke, osteoporosis, depression). [click to continue...]