At what age to begin hormone therapy for depression?

For women suffering from depression at what age to start hormone therapy arent exactly known experts at Childrens Health Institute say. Parent-median-sex differences dont preclude hormone therapy not being an option for women of all ages though say the research team.

The research review analysis was a collaboration between CIH UT Health San Antonio and the same four institutions published in JAMA Pediatrics.

We note that there is not a great deal of clarity on this particular question because it is not being addressed by any of the most recent clinical guidelines in the United States and as we explain in the article the guidelines tend to be structured around a specific risk vs. benefit profile said lead author Sarah H. McCance PhD an investigator at Childrens Health Institute pediatric researcher at the Texas Biomed Research Institute at UT Health San Antonio (TxBX) and a specialist in adolescent hormone science at CIH and UT Health San Antonio.

She cautioned that typical rates of depression among children and adolescents are diminished despite the widespread use of antidepressants in the U. S. and over-the-counter pills and dietary supplements such as melatonin for mild depression.

Hormone therapy can reverse a womans biological clock adjusting hormone levels in response to physical hormonal and sexual activity and changes in sex and sexual orientation. Hormonal therapy is recommended for women over the age of 60 years in response to unmet physical hormonal and sexual function and for women over the age of 50 years in response to reduced sexual function.

Although the goal is to suppress the sex drive and increase the estrogen levels returned by orgasm angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors and estrogen-targeted hormone receptor antagonists have become widely available and some women choose to do this.

ACE inhibitors are approved for use in adults and estrogen receptor agonists are approved for use in adolescents.

Normally the thyroid gland produces thyroid hormones including thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH). These hormones can lead to fatigue and low energy and appetite and total body pain. Triggers such as CHEST have been linked to the development of depression.

This is a subpopulation study and as such the group of women studied did not qualify for hormone therapy nor were they associated with any significant risk factors that could put them (the patient) at an increased risk of depression Dr. McCance and Dr. Himezumi said in an interview. More research is needed in this area they said.