A new study has found an alternative hormone that can benefit women who are going through menopause, according to findings presented at The Endocrine Societys annual meeting. In fact, a different form of progesterone may help these women experience fewer hot flashes and night sweats.
During the three-month trial, more than 100 women who were using hormonal therapy to treat signs of menopause were randomly chosen to take oral micronized progesterone, which is a steroid found in yams, or to take a placebo. Eligible participants included women who experienced their last menstruation cycle in the past 10 years, and had undergone ovarian hormone treatments during the last six months.
In order to determine the results, researchers used the average daily vasomotor symptom score (VMSScore), which represents the number and intensity of hot flashes and night sweats experienced daily.
The team discovered that 68 women who had taken the horomone supplement reported a 56 percent improvement in their VMSScores, while the participants who took the placebo confirmed a 28 percent lower VMSScore.
The investigators concluded that these were the first findings that allowed women to use a treatment this closely related to actual hormones.
In 2008, a total of 23.3 percent of women who used hormone treatments for menopause opted for oral estrogen medications, according to the North American Menopause Society.