Longer life thru HRT

[Cheryl T]

Just read an interesting article ... basically saying that women live longer than men due to higher levels of estrogen.

Higher levels of estrogen in women protect them from heart disease for 10 to 15 years longer than men, says Dr. Larry Santora, a cardiologist with St. Joseph Health System in Orange, Calif. “It’s well known that estrogen raises good cholesterol (HDL) and lowers bad cholesterol (LDL). Estrogen makes the inner lining of the coronary arteries more flexible, so it’s less prone to injury and inflammation related to plaque formation and atherosclerosis.”

Mmmm...sounds like a good argument for HRT for us girls. Now if our spouses could just accept the minor side effects....LOL.

[BLUE ORCHID]

Hi Cheryl, I like the way that you think,

[Elli87]

well when I initially started estrogen, It was like a big weight had been taken off of my shoulders, I felt an inner calm that I haven't had since. Though eventually that faded and it was replaced by an anxiety, But if I could Live out my life with that initial serene feeling from the estrogen I'm sure heart troubles and stress would eventually fall of the sccope of things I worry about. In short I can definitely understand why it's so.

[sometimes_miss]

Uhm, that's only a theory, and hasn't held up to scrutiny yet; there's more things going on than just a simple change in one or two hormone levels. You can, for example, feminize a male to some degree by castration, but that has some negative health risks as well. Another theory is that women have less vascular blockage problems because their hemoglobin/hematocrit levels are less than that of males, so maybe you should start placing leaches all over your body, or perhaps just punch yourself in the nose and let it bleed, that might work. Besides, it is known that males with higher estrogen levels have had the opposite desired effect, higher than normal levels of stroke and heart attack. Our bodies are very finely adapted to our particular genetically influenced body chemistry. Whenever you mess with that, it can have unforeseen side effects beyond the one thing that you want to change. I'll stick to a couple glasses of wine, dressing up, and some daydreaming about being 16 going on 17, and singing while walking around in the moonlight in the Alps.

[Leslie Langford]

I dunno, Cheryl... I kinda subscribe to the theory that stand-up comedian Allan King advanced years ago, which was to the effect that women generally live longer than men because they are not married to other women (well , in hetero relationships, anyway)...

[sometimes_miss]

Yeah, Leslie, the old, 'why do married men die before married women? Because they want to'.

[flatlander_48]

Where's a good Rimshot when you need one?!?!?!

DeeAnn

[AngelaYVR]

The gap between male/female longevity is closing because there are not so many dangerous jobs and world wars as there used to be.

[Kaze_]

Testosterone can actually weaken the immune system, or so certain studies say.

The gap between male/female longevity is closing because there are not so many dangerous jobs and world wars as there used to be.

Still, something like 97% of work place deaths are men.

[Kate Simmons]

I read something years ago that the "X" chromosome has something to do with the immune system. Having 2 "X" would somewhat explain that, plus the fact that when the rest of the family gets sick, Mom is usually the last one to get sick and usually not as severe. Could be something to that.

[Kaze_]

IIRC,

Testosterone chemically suppresses certain immune functions
Estrogen excites the same function.

That's why women are more susceptible to auto-immune diseases.

So, not exactly greener either side of the fence.

[I Am Paula]

HRT helps trans people live longer because the risk of suicide drops considerably.

[Sarasometimes]

Marriage is like taking a hot bath, once your are in it for awhile, it isn't so hot.

I think selling taking estrogen for health reasons need to come from several doctors before most wives will buy that as the sole reason. The bra companies may be willing to this support research, just think of the profits if suddenly men needed them too!
But isn't there an increased risk of breast cancer with HRT? Just asking.
Ad of the future:
80% of men are wearing the wrong bra, so get fitted.

[Krisi]

Genetics has a lot to do with it, but the key to living longer is to live a less risky lifestyle, both at work and personal. When I was working, I would often find myself working off the top of a 32' ladder or high scaffolding. I used toxic chemicals from time to time. The women were mostly sitting at a desk.

More men than women go to war, more men than women ride motorcycles, etc.

[kimdl93]

Obesity, Diabetes and cardiovascular disease are the major health threats to older women and men. From what I've read,mother protective benefits of estrogen diminish as women produce less of it, and because some testosterone is aromatized to estradiol, it's protective benefit diminishes for men as their testosterone levels decline. I've always been a bit suspect of hormone therapy...E or T...because of ambiguities in the research, but I'm leaning towards supplementation for both sexes.

There are some findings that suggest that elevated estradiol is associated with higher risks of stroke and cardiovascular disease among middle age and elderly men.

[Eryn]

I don't know about E, but Spiro did wonders for my blood pressure!

[Cheryl T]

The gap between male/female longevity is closing because there are not so many dangerous jobs and world wars as there used to be.

Or maybe because women in the military can now have some of those dangerous jobs....
There may not be World Wars...but there certainly are a lot of wars around....

[AngelaYVR]

Yes, Cheryl, but as a general trend fewer men are dying from those things.

[Cheryl T]

I read something years ago that the "X" chromosome has something to do with the immune system. Having 2 "X" would somewhat explain that, plus the fact that when the rest of the family gets sick, Mom is usually the last one to get sick and usually not as severe. Could be something to that.

That was part of the article I was reading as well.
The point there was that having XY means that if there is a defect on the X chromosome you have no "backup" and the disease generally progresses in men while having XX means that a defect in one X may be offset by the other X having the non-defective gene meaning that a woman may have the same defective gene but it will be benign or have a much lesser effect.

My point in the OP was "tongue-in-cheek". When I read it to my wife we had just had a discussion (happy) ending with her saying she wanted me around for a long, long time. When I read the article to her I said that maybe I should begin HRT to gain those 10-15 years for her benefit if she could accept the side effects. I told her I would be willing to "suffer" the consequences to be her for her LOL.
I don't believe that this would actually benefit one of us, it was meant simply to generate some dreamy smiles and a laugh or two....

[Eryn]

Or maybe because women in the military can now have some of those dangerous jobs....

Well, they can *volunteer* for those jobs, but women are not required to put themselves in harms' way involuntarily.

Men will continue to be the vast majority of casualties.

[Robin414]

I'm picking up on the commonality of many posts...it's not HRT but more the phsycological side effects.

Guy tripping out on T: You lookin' at ME, I'll fight ya' (reaching for concealed knife in boot) 😠

Woman on E: You looking at me hun 😉 Yah...I use MAC concealer, looks awsome huh! I have some in my purse!

[JohnH]

Before I went on M2F HRT I was really depressed and suicidal. In addition I drank a lot.

Since taking injectable estradiol (estrogen) I am no longer depressed and suicidal. I no longer drink so much that I get drunk.

So in my case I will most likely live longer being on estradiol.

John

[Nadya]

well, I'll save that as an argument for it then.

[Clorissa]

Hi Cheryl,

I have taken a very low dose of E and Spiro the last 4 years. My blood pressure was never high, but this has definitely lowered it. I get tired much easier and sleep more. This has marked the end of any libido drive. My pulse rate has slowed down. Most of my body hair is gone or remains slim, white, and straggly. My facial skin in much softer, responding well to day and night creams. My scalp hair is softer and thicker. Best of all, my PSA Prostate test has sunk down to 0.3. Drawbacks for me are really the drowsiness. Many say I’m so slow, I need much more time to do anything. But turtles live well past 100.

Clorissa