Women whose bodies stop producing estrogen at an early age may be at increased risk from developing the neurodegenerative condition Parkinson’s disease, suggest results of a recent study. Researchers from the Mayo Clinic found that women with the disease were three times more likely to have had a hysterectomy and twice as likely to have experienced early menopause, thus suggesting that estrogen may somehow offer protection from Parkinson’s. Previous studies have also found that Parkinson’s disease progresses more slowly in postmenopausal women who take estrogen supplements compared to those who are not prescribed hormone replacement therapy (HRT). Researcher Dr. Demetrius Maraganore concluded: “Our belief is that estrogen may play a role in preventing Parkinson’s disease.”
SOURCE/REFERENCE: Movement Disorders September 2001
