E07 | Health Investigation | Menopause: A Hormonal Storm

In France, the menopause affects more than 11 million women, and every year a further 400,000 women experience it for the first time. Occurring at an average age of 51, the menopause marks the start of a new phase of life – a period that is becoming longer as life expectancy increases. Yet it remains a taboo subject about which very little is known. Hot flushes, sleep and mood disturbances, weight gain, reduced libido… The drop in hormone levels can trigger symptoms that vary greatly from one woman to another. Some women experience none at all, whilst others experience many. And whilst the menopause is not an illness, it can increase the risk of serious conditions such as osteoporosis or cardiovascular events. Screening for risk factors is therefore a public health priority. Yet France lags far behind in the management of the menopause. Once touted as a panacea, hormone replacement therapy (HRT) has been at the centre of a major controversy for the past twenty years or so, accused of increasing the risk of breast cancer and cardiovascular disease. Doctors specialising in the menopause are attempting to restore the reputation of this treatment, which remains the most effective way of combating hot flushes. Today, many women choose to go through the menopause without treatment. Yoga, acupuncture, hypnosis or even herbal medicine… More and more scientific studies are demonstrating the beneficial effects of these alternative techniques on certain symptoms. How do women cope with this inevitable stage of their lives? In which cases should hormone replacement therapy be prescribed? Is it safe? And what are the most effective natural methods for managing the menopause well?