A recent study discovered that hormone therapy may assist in minimising mood swings and other psychological symptoms associated with menopause.
As per research published in the journal Menopause, scientists discovered that the proportion of women experiencing mood symptoms sharply declined from 62% ahead of starting treatment to nearly 25% after starting hormone therapy.
The research team, led by Dr. Samantha Fairweather of NYU Grossman School of Medicine, stated hormone therapy was associated with enhancements in psychological and sleep-related symptoms across several groups of women.
This included women with psychiatric histories and those who are consuming antidepressants.
Researchers estimate that nearly 68% of menopausal women experience symptoms such as depressed mood, irritability, anxiety and mental exhaustion.
These symptoms are usually linked to hormonal changes during menopause and are likely to persist for years.
For the study, researchers tracked 260 women treated at the NYU Langone Health Center for Midlife Health and Menopause between January 2023 and April 2025.
All participants were prescribed federally approved hormone therapy and completed a menopause symptom checklist before treatment.
They completed the checklist again during a follow-up visit, typically about three months later.
At the start of the study, over three in five women reported severe mood problems. Following treatment, less than one in four reported experiencing mood swings again.
The greatest enhancement was seen among women who had the most severe symptoms. Scientists discovered that treatment responses did not differ on the basis of certain factors such as age, menopause stage, psychiatric history or antidepressant use.
Dr. Monica Christmas of The Menopause Society, stated, “The menopause transition can be a very tumultuous time, and one of the things I hear most often from patients is, ‘I don’t feel like myself anymore,’ and then the tears come.”
“It can be incredibly distressing, affecting personal relationships and interfering with performance at work, Recognizing and addressing mood-related symptoms can make a real difference,” Christmas added.
