This study done by Paganini-Hill (1996) examined the effects of estrogen on elderly women. During the post menopausal years, women produce a lack of estrogen, and in turn, some women have supplemented the decrease in estrogen with estrogen replacement therapy (ERT). This study has been going on since the 1970s, and its purpose is to evaluated the long-term risks and benefits of ERT for women. In doing so, it have concentrated on a group of women in the Leisure World retirement community. This study have found that:

1. ERT is the most effective method for preventing osteoporosis bone loss and fractures in postmenpausal women.
2. ERT reduced the risk of hip fractures about 50%. The effect is greatest in long-term users and may be lost after discontinuation.
3. Estrogen users retain more natural teeth than nonusers.
4. ERT reduced the risk of fatal and nonfatal myocardial infarction, ischemic heart disease, and other heart disease, and stroke by 20-40%. The reduction is greatest in long-term and/or current users.
5. This study have also shown that ERT had reduced the risk of Alzheimer's disease.

The reduction is greatest in long-term and/or current users. However, estrogen use is not without risk. Risk increases with increasing years of use and remains high after discontinuation. The most important potential risk of ERT is breast cancer and endometrial cancer. In this study, women who had used a total accumulated estrogen dose of 1500mg or more had nearly twice the risk of breast cancer compared with nonusers. Short-term low-dose users showed no substantial increased risk. The question is, does the benefits of estrogen use out-weigh the risks. For most postmenopausal women, generally, the benefits of ERT -- preventing osteoporosis fractures, reducing heart disease, decreasing mortality, and possibly reducing the risk of Alzheimer's disease out-weigh the risks of endometrial and breast cancers.

Conclusion of study

• Refer Back to the Estrogen Homepage.