Everyone's talking about hormone therapy for menopause. Should I be on it? - npr.org

Sunnu Rebecca Choi for NPR Dr. Mara Gordon, a family physician in Camden, N.J., answers reader health questions monthly. Send in your question to: thrive@npr.org. Q: I am in perimenopause. I keep seeing posts all over social media talking up menopausal hormone therapy as a cure-all. Should I be taking hormones? Should everyone?  A: I'm not surprised that you've been hearing the hype. There's been an explosion of menopause content from influencers, direct-to-consumer telehealth companies marketing to women in midlife, and new books and podcasts on the topic. Real Talk With a Doc I hate getting Pap smears. Is there a safe alternative? This is great news for women. Menopause has historically been under-studied and stigmatized, so I love seeing more open conversations about this stage of life. And the pendulum has swung on hormone therapy; medical groups now recommend it again for many patients, after years of cautioning against it. It's about time that women have access to treatments for the very real symptoms that can accompany menopause, rather than being told to "deal with" their hot flashes or sleep disruption. But I'm also seeing a lot of less-than-scientific misinformation out there that over-promises on what menopausal hormone therapy can do. There are also lots of less-than-ethical influencers who are looking to make a quick buck on unproven supplements and vitamins. As I navigate the new focus on menopause care alongside my patients, I've realized how critical it is to separate the hype from the reality. Here's what the science says about menopausal hormone therapy — and what we don't yet know. For stories on the science of healthy living,