Estrogen & Dementia

[paxi1334]

Hi - I have a nagging anxiety & am wondering if anyone here can help me with it - and/or has real information to go on.  I've been cautioned that taking Estrogen over the long term will likely cause me to acquire dementia.  Is this is a scare tactic or is there actual truth to this?  Is anyone else worried that HRT will literally make you lose your mind?

Thanx.

[Cindy]

About half of the worlds population is female, their partners may think they are demented but the woman probably think the reverse!

It's a scare tactic.

[Devlyn]

Here's a link to our Wiki, see section 4.6: https://www.susans.org/wiki/Estrogen

Taking Spiro leans the other way: https://www.susans.org/wiki/Spironolactone

Disclaimer: I'm not a doctor! Hugs, Devlyn

[Randi]

Estrogen is neuroprotective!  Quite likely to lessen the chance of Alzheimer's.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11040417
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This review highlights recent evidence from clinical and basic science studies supporting a role for estrogen in neuroprotection. Accumulated clinical evidence suggests that estrogen exposure decreases the risk and delays the onset and progression of Alzheimer's disease and schizophrenia, and may also enhance recovery from traumatic neurological injury such as stroke.

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[paxi1334]

by any chance, does the type of the estrogen involved have to do with whether or not it is neuro-protective as opposed to actually causing certain problems? 

[Randi]

Although there are many different types of pills, patches, implants and injections, in the final analysis there are only three estrogens:

E1  Estrone
E2  Estradiol
E3  Estriol

Estradiol is about 10 times as potent at Estrone, Estriol is even weaker and is only produced during pregnancy.

Pure Estradiol is what you would be interested in and it is very inexpensive, since no one can patent it. Walmart, for example sells estradiol tablets as part of their $4 / 30 days, or $10 / 90 days generic program.

Oestrogel is pure estradiol in an alcohol gel base.  Estradiol Valerate and Cypionate are timed-release injectable forms of pure Estradiol.  Over time they degrade from the "ester" to form estradiol.

Substances like Premarin and Ethynl Estradiol are artifical mimics of estradiol.  Premarin was used in the Women's Health Initiative study which was discontinued due to adverse side effects.  I feel that if they had used pure estradiol the outcome would have been very different.

Randi 

by any chance, does the type of the estrogen involved have to do with whether or not it is neuro-protective as opposed to actually causing certain problems?

[paxi1334]

So the xmg green tablets that say "Estradiol" (these are the ones I have, amount intentionally given as x) are these the real Estradiols or are these from horse pee?

[Miss_Bungle1991]

So the xmg green tablets that say "Estradiol" (these are the ones I have, amount intentionally given as x) are these the real Estradiols or are these from horse pee?

Premarin is the horsey wee.

[anjaq]

Hi, post apocalyptic goth chick - Reminds me of my goth chick times some years ago. Well not really chick as i am big but anyways...

Whatever - here is what i got from a support group for HRT especially long time. Estrogen is not bad for you unless you overdose or take that horse urine stuff. just stick with Estradiol. Avoid Estrone as it downregulates Estrogen receptors in the body (the parts that react to Estrogens and make your body that of a woman) while not being as effective as Estradiol. Oral application of estradiol does produce a big amount of Estron which is why lots of people now suggest to use gel or patches instead. In addition, progesterone is needed. It is a very valuable neuroprotecive hormone (it protects the little tubes that are protecting the neurons running inside of them). Plus it helps with some other issues like slow changes in bone and cartilage as well as breast growth, plus it blocks the transformation of Testosterone into DHT - DHT is what causes hairiness on the body and hair loss on the head. With a well balanced HRT that uses Estradiol and Progesterone and avoids Estrone, you should not be worried about dementia. I heard of several cases however who got Dementia from an oral estradiol-monotherapy (e.g. only taking estradiol and only as pills), so that should be avoided in the long run I would think, but that bit of info is anecdotal, the first part is in studies - I could like them if needed -  and some of it is already in Wikipedia.