Learing Loss Caused by Progetin NOT Progesterone

[Guest guest]

MORE NEWS Why not try something natural for a change, like a Natural

Progesterone Cream?

Scientists warn Hormones may damage hearing.

Progestin flagged among women undegoing therapy.

By Randolph E. Schmid, Associated Press | September 5, 2006

WASHINGTON -- Older women taking certain hormone replacement therapy

may suffer hearing damage, scientists report.

A study of 124 postmenopausal women found that those taking hormone

replacement therapy that included progestin had poorer speech

understanding than women not taking hormones or those using estrogen

only.

The findings, by a team led by Dr. D. Frisina at the

University of Rochester Medical Center in Rochester, N.Y., are

reported in today's issue of Proceedings of the National Academy of

Sciences.

The team previously had reported indications of hearing problems

associated with hormone therapy and their new study says progestin is

the likely culprit.

The research found problems in the inner ear and in some measures of

brain function affecting hearing in women using hormone therapy with

progestin, Frisina said in a telephone interview.

Because hearing problems can affect quality of life, he urges

increased hearing testing for women using this therapy , especially

those who already have some hearing loss .

``We feel this should be added to the list of possible side effects, "

Frisina said.

His next step is to look at women who stop using progestin and see if

the hearing damage is reversible.

Not everyone is convinced of the findings, however.

``The jury is still out " on the effects of hormone replacement

therapy on hearing, says Dr. S. Helfer of the University of

Massachusetts at Amherst.

Helfer, who said she has done similar research on a smaller scale,

said, ``There are a number of reasons to suspect that [hormone

replacement therapy] would have either a positive or a negative

effect on hearing. Subtle differences in auditory abilities can be

demonstrated during different phases of the menstrual cycle. "

Dr. S. Klein of Virginia Commonwealth University Medical Center

said the study included only 32 women treated with progestin, which

she said makes it difficult to generalize from the results. Thirty

were on estrogen only; 62 were not using hormones.

I think it is unfair to give progesterone in general a black eye

from a limited study using progestin and not prgesterone.