Hormone Replacement Therapy Connected to Hearing Loss

Ivanhoe Newswire
Friday, September 8, 2006; 12:00 AM

(Ivanhoe Newswire) -- A new study reveals women who take the most common type of hormone replacement therapy may suffer hearing loss. Researchers report women taking the hormone progesterone have the hearing of women five to 10 years older.

A previous study linked HRT and hearing loss. Researchers from the University of Rochester Medical Center in New York wanted to know which form of HRT was responsible, if any.

Researchers report women on HRT that included progestin had worse hearing than the women taking estrogen alone or women not taking HRT at all. The hearing loss was 10- to 30-percent more in the progestin group than in the other groups.

"In light of these findings, we feel that hearing loss should be added to the list of negative things to keep in mind when talking about HRT. Women especially who already have a hearing problem should weigh this decision carefully. Women on HRT should consider having a thorough hearing check up done every six months," reports senior author Robert D. Frisina, Ph.D. from the University of Rochester Medical Center.

The researchers are continuing their research to determine the exact effects of progestin on the ears and brain to see what causes hearing loss and if it's permanent.

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SOURCE: The Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, published online Sept. 5, 2006