Is hormone therapy safe?

Appears under: Menopause and hormones · Sleep, energy and the brain · Hair and nails · Living longer in good health · Skin aging

The studies

• 5 Repeated evidence Type and timing of menopausal hormone therapy and breast cancer risk: individual participant meta-analysis of the worldwide epidemiological evidence.
  2019 · Lancet (London, England)
• 5 Repeated evidence Systematic review and meta-analysis of the effects of menopause hormone therapy on cognition.
  2024 · Frontiers in endocrinology
• 5 Repeated evidence Effect of Soy Isoflavones on Measures of Estrogenicity: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.
  2025 · Advances in nutrition (Bethesda, Md.) · 3,285 participants · manufacturer helped fund this
• 5 Repeated evidence Long-term hormone therapy for perimenopausal and postmenopausal women.
  2017 · The Cochrane database of systematic reviews · 43,637 participants
• 5 Repeated evidence Different regimens of menopausal hormone therapy for improving sleep quality: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
  2022 · Menopause (New York, N.Y.) · 15 participants
• 5 Repeated evidence Vaginal estrogen therapy for treatment of menopausal genitourinary syndrome among breast cancer survivors: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
  2025 · Revista brasileira de ginecologia e obstetricia : revis
• 5 Repeated evidence Oral oestrogen and combined oestrogen/progestogen therapy versus placebo for hot flushes.
  2005 · The Cochrane database of systematic reviews · manufacturer helped fund this
• 5 Repeated evidence Hormone Therapy and Other Treatments for Symptoms of Menopause.
  2017 · American family physician
• 5 Repeated evidence Effect of gender-affirming hormone therapy on hair growth: a systematic review of the literature.
  2023 · Clinical and experimental dermatology · manufacturer helped fund this
• 5 Repeated evidence Associations between Diet Quality Scores and Risk of Postmenopausal Estrogen Receptor-Negative Breast Cancer: A Systematic Review.
  2018 · The Journal of nutrition
• 5 Repeated evidence Commonly used types of postmenopausal estrogen for treatment of hot flashes: scientific review.
  2004 · JAMA
• 5 Repeated evidence The use of conjugated estrogens and bazedoxifene for the management of vasomotor symptoms in premenopausal and menopausal patients with endometriosis: a systematic review.
  2026 · Climacteric : the journal of the International Menopaus
• 5 Repeated evidence The Effect of Transdermal Estrogen Patch Use on Cardiovascular Outcomes: A Systematic Review.
  2018 · Journal of women's health (2002)
• 4 Large controlled trial Effects of estrogen plus progestin on health-related quality of life.
  2003 · The New England journal of medicine · 8,506 participants
• 4 Large controlled trial Longitudinal changes in menopausal symptoms comparing women randomized to low-dose oral conjugated estrogens or transdermal estradiol plus micronized progesterone versus placebo: the Kronos Early Estrogen Prevention Study.
  2018 · Menopause (New York, N.Y.) · 727 participants · manufacturer helped fund this
• 4 Large controlled trial Menopausal symptom experience before and after stopping estrogen therapy in the Women's Health Initiative randomized, placebo-controlled trial.
  2011 · Menopause (New York, N.Y.) · 3,496 participants
• 4 Large controlled trial Quality-of-life and depressive symptoms in postmenopausal women after receiving hormone therapy: results from the Heart and Estrogen/Progestin Replacement Study (HERS) trial.
  2002 · JAMA · 2,325 participants
• 4 Large controlled trial Phytoestrogen supplements for the treatment of hot flashes: the Isoflavone Clover Extract (ICE) Study: a randomized controlled trial.
  2003 · JAMA · 252 participants
• 4 Large controlled trial Self-reported menopausal symptoms, coronary artery calcification, and carotid intima-media thickness in recently menopausal women screened for the Kronos early estrogen prevention study (KEEPS).
  2013 · Fertility and sterility · 868 participants
• 4 Large controlled trial Menopausal symptoms in older women and the effects of treatment with hormone therapy.
  2003 · Obstetrics and gynecology · 2,763 participants
• 4 Large controlled trial A Multi-center, Randomized, Controlled and Open Clinical Trial of Heyan Kuntai Capsule () and Hormone Therapy in Perimenopausal Women.
  2018 · Chinese journal of integrative medicine · 390 participants
• 4 Large controlled trial Hot flushes, coronary heart disease, and hormone therapy in postmenopausal women.
  2019 · Menopause (New York, N.Y.) · 2,448 participants
• 4 Large controlled trial Effects of conjugated estrogens/bazedoxifene on lipid and coagulation variables: a randomized placebo- and active-controlled trial.
  2016 · Menopause (New York, N.Y.) · 1,843 participants
• 4 Large controlled trial Effects of the phytoestrogen genistein on hot flushes, endometrium, and vaginal epithelium in postmenopausal women: a 2-year randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study.
  2009 · Menopause (New York, N.Y.) · 389 participants
• 4 Large controlled trial The effects of combined raloxifene and oral estrogen on vasomotor symptoms and endometrial safety.
  2007 · Menopause (New York, N.Y.) · 123 participants
• 4 Large controlled trial Long-term safety of drospirenone-estradiol for hormone therapy: a randomized, double-blind, multicenter trial.
  2007 · Menopause (New York, N.Y.) · 1,147 participants
• 4 Large controlled trial Design and baseline characteristics of the soy phytoestrogens as replacement estrogen (SPARE) study--a clinical trial of the effects of soy isoflavones in menopausal women.
  2011 · Contemporary clinical trials · 283 participants
• 4 Large controlled trial Does hormone therapy improve age-related skin changes in postmenopausal women? A randomized, double-blind, double-dummy, placebo-controlled multicenter study assessing the effects of norethindrone acetate and ethinyl estradiol in the improvement of mild to moderate age-related skin changes in postmenopausal women.
  2008 · Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology · 165 participants
• 4 Large controlled trial Estradiol 1 mg and drospirenone 2 mg as hormone replacement therapy in postmenopausal Chinese women.
  2011 · Climacteric : the journal of the International Menopaus · 183 participants
• 4 Large controlled trial Conjugated estrogens and bazedoxifene in minority populations: pooled analysis of four phase 3 trials.
  2018 · Menopause (New York, N.Y.) · 2,907 participants
• 4 Large controlled trial Synthetic conjugated estrogens-B and postmenopausal nocturnal vasomotor symptoms: a randomized controlled trial.
  2012 · Obstetrics and gynecology · 157 participants
• 4 Large controlled trial Body mass index does not influence response to treatment, nor does body weight change with lower doses of conjugated estrogens and medroxyprogesterone acetate in early postmenopausal women.
  2004 · Menopause (New York, N.Y.) · 822 participants
• 4 Large controlled trial Evaluation of the direct and indirect effects of bazedoxifene/conjugated estrogens on sleep disturbance using mediation modeling.
  2014 · Menopause (New York, N.Y.) · 1,843 participants
• 4 Large controlled trial Vasomotor hot flushes and 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure in normotensive women: A placebo-controlled trial on post-menopausal hormone therapy.
  2010 · Annals of medicine · 147 participants
• 4 Large controlled trial Climacteric skin ageing of the face--a prospective longitudinal comparative trial on the effect of oral hormone replacement therapy.
  1999 · Maturitas · 140 participants
• 4 Large controlled trial Hot flushes and biochemical markers for cardiovascular disease: a randomized trial on hormone therapy.
  2010 · Climacteric : the journal of the International Menopaus · 150 participants
• 4 Large controlled trial Bleeding patterns in peri and postmenopausal women taking a continuous combined regimen of estradiol with norethisterone acetate or a conventional sequential regimen of conjugated equine estrogens with medrogestone.
  2003 · Maturitas · 446 participants
• 4 Large controlled trial Mammographic breast density and tolerance for short-term postmenopausal hormone therapy suspension.
  2012 · Journal of women's health (2002) · 881 participants
• 4 Large controlled trial Continuous combined hormone replacement therapy compared with tibolone.
  1999 · Obstetrics and gynecology · 119 participants
• 4 Large controlled trial Efficacy and tolerability of pulsed estrogen therapy: a 12-week double-blind placebo-controlled study in highly symptomatic postmenopausal women.
  2003 · Climacteric : the journal of the International Menopaus · 165 participants
• 4 Large controlled trial Relief of hot flushes with new plant-derived 10-component synthetic conjugated estrogens.
  2004 · Obstetrics and gynecology · 281 participants
• 4 Large controlled trial A low-dose start in hormone replacement therapy provides a beneficial bleeding profile and few side-effects: randomized comparison with a conventional-dose regimen.
  2004 · Climacteric : the journal of the International Menopaus · 132 participants
• 4 Large controlled trial Perimenopausal women in estrogen vasomotor trials: contribution to placebo effect and efficacy outcome.
  2001 · Climacteric : the journal of the International Menopaus · 109 participants
• 4 Large controlled trial Transition from estrogen-progestin to raloxifene in postmenopausal women: effect on vasomotor symptoms.
  2004 · Obstetrics and gynecology · 266 participants
• 4 Large controlled trial [Effectiveness and tolerance of pulsed estrogen therapy in the treatment of menopausal symptoms. Results of a Polish multicenter study].
  2005 · Ginekologia polska · 309 participants
• 4 Large controlled trial Continuous versus cyclical transdermal estrogen replacement therapy in postmenopausal women: influence on climacteric symptoms, body weight and bleeding pattern.
  1998 · Maturitas · 2,459 participants
• 4 Large controlled trial [Effect of combined conjugated estrogen-medrogestone replacement therapy on lipid profiles, climacteric symptoms and the endometrium].
  2000 · Journal de gynecologie, obstetrique et biologie de la r · 195 participants
• 4 Large controlled trial [Combination of hormone replacement therapy with buspirone in the treatment of climacteric complaints].
  2000 · Orvosi hetilap · 100 participants
• 3 Small study in people Hormone therapy in the postmenopausal years: considering benefits and risks in clinical practice.
  2022 · Human reproduction update
• 3 Small study in people Effect of Bazedoxifene and Conjugated Estrogen (Duavee) on Breast Cancer Risk Biomarkers in High-Risk Women: A Pilot Study.
  2020 · Cancer prevention research (Philadelphia, Pa.)
• 3 Small study in people Estrogen replacement in perimenopause-related depression: a preliminary report.
  2000 · American journal of obstetrics and gynecology
• 3 Small study in people The effects of soy protein containing phytoestrogens on menopausal symptoms in postmenopausal women.
  2002 · Climacteric : the journal of the International Menopaus
• 3 Small study in people High bone density in hyperandrogenic women: effect of gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist alone or in conjunction with estrogen-progestin replacement.
  1996 · The Journal of clinical endocrinology and metabolism