Menopausal women taking hormone replacement therapy may have increased protection from Covid-19 – Telegraph.co.uk

Menopausal women taking hormone replacement therapy (HRT) may have increased protection from Covid-19, scientists suspect.

Research led by King's College and NHS England is expected to establish within weeks why men have been more likely to fall seriously ill.

Questions assessing the potential protective effects of hormonal therapies, such as HRT or the pill, are being added to the Covid Symptom Study.

The app, which now tracks more than three million people across the UK, is aiming to develop a clearer picture after researchers in Wuhan, China, found women with lower levels of oestrogen typically suffered worse effects.

Dr Louise Newson, an advisor to NHS England, GP and menopause specialist, said the information could be particularly important for menopausal key workers considering whether to take HRT.

"We're seeing all the time that men are more likely to succumb to Covid, sadly, and more likely to go into intensive care," she said.

"Women have this ability to fight viruses a lot more efficiently and the cells that fight infection actually have oestrogen receptors on them so this means they respond to oestrogen and oestrogen can actually reprogramme these cells, make them more effective and also increase their number."

She described the research as "really exciting" because "if there is some protection (from oestrogen), it means that women who are menopausal who take HRT - which we know has more benefits than risks for the majority of women - might be able to have some protection".

"For me it's a really important question that we will hopefully have answered in the next couple of weeks. Not fully answered, but it will give some more understanding which is what we need."

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Menopausal women taking hormone replacement therapy may have increased protection from Covid-19 - Telegraph.co.uk