Estradiol (E2) and Blood Lipid Changes

Hormone therapy isn’t just about easing menopausal symptoms—it can also affect your heart health by changing your blood fat levels. A study of postmenopausal Korean women found that taking estrogen by mouth (oral therapy) led to noticeable improvements in lipid profiles. Specifically, oral estrogen helped lower “bad” LDL cholesterol and lipoprotein(a) levels, while it raised “good” HDL cholesterol. In contrast, using estrogen through a skin gel (transdermal therapy) didn’t change these blood fats much.

Interestingly, adding micronized progesterone to the treatment didn’t alter these effects. This means that for postmenopausal women, oral estrogen therapy might be more beneficial for improving cholesterol levels than the skin patch, although every treatment plan should be tailored to the individual.

If you’re considering bioidentical hormone replacement therapy, it’s important to discuss the different options—not only for managing symptoms but also for their potential impact on your cardiovascular health.

(Based on findings from “Effects of Hormone Therapy on Serum Lipid Levels in Postmenopausal Korean Women”)