What Doctors Don't Tell YouA new trial has shown that supplementing with HRT does not improve cognitive function in women with Alzheimer’s disease (AD).
The multicentre, double blind, placebo controlled, randomised trial found no differences in cognitive function between two groups of women with mild to moderate AD given either conjugated oestrogens or placebo for one year.
In fact, about three quarters of the women in both groups had worsened by the end of the study period.
Mood was also similar in both groups, and there was no proven benefit with higher dosages. On the contrary, those in the high dose group declined significantly more than placebo recipients.
These findings are the result of the longest and largest trial of HRT treatment for AD thus far (JAMA, 2000; 283: 1007-15).
Maryon Stewart
Daniel Redwood DC
Tom Ferguson MD