Hormone Therapy May Encourage Healthier Aging Among Postmenopausal Women, Study Finds

A recent study has shed light on the relationship between hormone therapy (HT), socioeconomic status, and the differences between chronological and biological age among postmenopausal women. The findings, published in Obstetrics and Gynecology, suggest that HT may contribute to healthier aging, particularly for women of lower socioeconomic status, and could play a role in reducing mortality risk.

The study, which included 117,763 postmenopausal women from the UK Biobank, explored how HT use affected the gap between a woman’s chronological age and her biological age—an indicator of how old her body appears at a cellular level. The researchers found that women who used HT had a smaller discrepancy between their chronological and biological age, meaning they were biologically younger than their actual age. The results indicated that this effect was more pronounced in women from lower socioeconomic backgrounds.

The findings showed that women who began HT at age 55 or older, or who used HT for four to eight years, showed the most significant reduction in biological aging. According to researchers, this suggests that the timing and duration of HT use are important factors in how it influences aging.

The study also found that the link between HT and reduced biological aging was stronger in women with lower socioeconomic status, particularly those with less education. Moreover, the study found that this reduction in biological age partially explained the lower mortality risk associated with HT use.

While these findings support the use of HT in promoting healthy aging, the researchers cautioned that more studies are needed to confirm the clinical benefits. Nonetheless, for integrative practitioners, this study highlights the potential of HT as a tool for improving health outcomes in postmenopausal women, especially those from disadvantaged backgrounds.