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Hormone replacement therapy (HRT)

An umbrella term for replacing a hormone the body no longer makes in sufficient amounts — estrogen-based therapy for menopausal women, or testosterone for men with hypogonadism.

By the glp1.how editorial teamReviewed

Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) replaces a hormone the body is short on. The two most common forms are menopausal hormone therapy (estrogen, usually with a progestogen) for women and testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) for men with hypogonadism.

HRT treats hormone-deficiency symptoms — not weight — and is a separate therapy from GLP-1 medications, though the two often come up together because menopause and low testosterone coincide with weight and body-composition changes. See the overview guide on HRT and GLP-1 medications for how they relate. MedlinePlus has more on menopausal hormone therapy (external link).

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Updated 1 time since Sep 2, 2026 · show changes
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Related guides

  • Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) and GLP-1 medications: an overview · HRT and GLP-1s keep coming up together because the times people look at hormones (menopause in women, low testosterone in men) are also times of weight and body-composition change. This overview explains what each does, who benefits, what weight loss does to testosterone, and how to plan the two together.
  • HRT for women and GLP-1 medications: menopause, weight, and body composition · Menopause shifts where the body stores fat and how well it holds muscle, the same ground a GLP-1 works on, so hormone therapy often comes up. This guide explains what HRT is for women, who benefits, the 2025–2026 FDA label changes, and how HRT does and doesn't overlap with GLP-1 weight management.
  • HRT for men (testosterone) and GLP-1 medications: what the connection really is · Low testosterone and excess weight are linked, but the cause often runs from the weight to the testosterone, and that changes when testosterone therapy actually helps. This guide covers who benefits from TRT and why losing weight on a GLP-1 can raise testosterone on its own.
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Related terms

  • Testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) · Replacing testosterone in men who have hypogonadism (clinically low testosterone plus symptoms), delivered as a gel, injection, patch, or pellet. It is for a specific diagnosis, not a default treatment for the reversible low testosterone that often accompanies obesity.
  • Menopausal hormone therapy (MHT) · Estrogen, usually combined with a progestogen (when the uterus is present), used to relieve menopausal symptoms such as hot flashes and to protect bone. Often just called 'HRT.' It is associated with less visceral fat but is not a weight-loss treatment.
  • Progestogen · A hormone — natural progesterone or a synthetic progestin — given alongside estrogen in menopausal hormone therapy to protect the lining of the uterus.
  • Hypogonadism · A condition of low sex-hormone production. In men it means low testosterone with symptoms; importantly, the low testosterone that often accompanies obesity is frequently a reversible state ('pseudo-hypogonadism') rather than true, pathologic hypogonadism.
  • GLP-1 · A gut hormone (glucagon-like peptide-1) that stimulates insulin release, slows digestion, and reduces appetite; the target of drugs like semaglutide and liraglutide.

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