Hormone Replacement Therapy is the replacement of estrogen levels and is used to help women during menopause. As you get older your hormone levels will eventually begin to decrease. This decrease plays a part in damaging muscles, decreasing sexual desire, increased risk of heart disease and osteoporosis.

Since its introduction to the American public in 1964, this amazing treatment has helped tens of thousands of menopausal women. Hormone replacement therapy is known for helping women with acute symptoms return to their former lifestyles. In addition to relieving common ailments of menopause hormone replacement therapy also protects against such things as colon cancer, cardiovascular disease and osteoporosis.

Hormone replacement therapy has also been shown to help with the psychological trauma sometimes associated with menopause. Hormone Therapy helps with depression, mood swings, lack of concentration, and other psychological problems become easier to handle. Some people see it as a necessity that they could not do without.

Hormone replacement therapy is not without some issues in and of itself and some of the side effects can be serious. In 1993, The Women's Initiative study was designed to show the risks and the benefits of hormone replacement therapy. The side effects were so bad that the study was shut down in 2002.

The side effects came in the form of headaches, nausea, depression, fluid retention, gallstones, bleeding and the risk of increasing the chance of breast cancer. There is also a risk of hypertension, pancreatitis, uterine disease and epilepsy. The most serious risks are several types of cancer (uterine, endometrial and breast), heart attack, acute liver disease, pancreatic disease, vaginal bleeding, gallbladder disease, blood clots and even stroke. There for before deciding to take this medication you should talk it over with your medical professional to find out if this treatment is right for you.

In spite of its risks hormone replacement therapy remains a viable option for dealing with menopause symptoms. The benefits to some women will outweigh the risks by far. In fact the risk to women is relatively low and depends largely on your symptoms. Hormone replacement therapy is best suited if you have vaginal discomfort, osteoporosis, and hot flashes.

Those women who should avoid hormone replacement therapy include women suffering from breast cancer and any woman who has past issues with blood clots. Do not have hormone replacement therapy to improve your memory or prevent its loss, or to prevent heart disease or stroke. In other words, you really should look at the pros and cons of this form of treatment.

An alternative to hormone replacement therapy is a natural hormone replacement program called Bio-identical hormones, they copy the structure of the hormones you have in your body which helps you balance your hormone level in a very natural way. These hormones are Estrogens (estradiol, estrone and estiol), Progesterol which balances estrogen levels, Testosterone which increases energy, and sex drive, Adrenal help with stress (not good for menopausal symptoms) and Thyroid hormones which raise your metabolism. These great alternatives are safer and less likely to give you the side effects you would get from hormone replacement therapy.