Texas: Researchers have discovered particular bacteria in the bladder that may identify which postmenopausal women are more prone to recurring urinary tract infections (UTIs), and they discovered that estrogen may contribute to lowering that vulnerability.
"We found a very strong association between beneficial bacteria in the bladder and the use of estrogen hormone therapy in postmenopausal women," said Dr. Nicole De Nisco, assistant professor of biological sciences in the School of Natural Sciences and Mathematics. "Estrogen is important not just in regulating reproductive processes, but also in shaping the chemical environment of the entire body. When you lose that hormone, you lose all the benefits that it provides."
