Welcome

Janet Michelmore AO 
Director, The Jean Hailes Foundation.

Dear Friend, 

I am thrilled to share with you some very exciting news, not only for The Jean Hailes Foundation but also for women Australia wide. While we have conducted several studies into the effectiveness of testosterone in women, we are very excited to announce a major new study tracking normal levels of testosterone in women, the relationship to wellbeing and whether this varies with age.

This study has been made possible by the generosity and vision of an extraordinary businesswoman. Sue Ismiel (Nad's Hair Removal Gel) is an amazing business success, but it is her sense of community value that puts her in a class of her own. Sue's passion for her family-run business is matched only by her passion for her family and for the well being of the community around her. This passion and genuine concern, particularly for women's health, has led her to donate $600,000 to make this study a reality. I urge you to read our stories, Hormones and Depression: Is There a Link? and The Sue Ismiel Story.

What an amazing woman! On meeting her I was struck by her vision, particularly for women and their wellbeing. It reminded me of the vision my mother, the late Jean Hailes, had for women's health. For this reason I feel a tremendous sense of pride and joy in our new partnership with Sue Ismiel and Daughters. I take this opportunity to thank Sue on behalf of all Australian women.

While we have achieved so much it is hard to believe that it has been 10 years since we opened The Jean Hailes Medical Centre. Back then this was a struggling, fledgling health centre for women on a huge mission: to offer the best health care to women, particularly those women at midlife. Our beginning was humble and everyone, from our passionate board members to our dedicated staff members, worked tremendously hard to bring us the respect of government, funding bodies and most importantly the community.

Our success and respect didn't come easily. We didn't expect it would. But 10 years down the track I am so proud of The Jean Hailes Foundation, including the clinic, the research and education units.

We are truly crossing all boundaries, leading world research, treating thousands of women each year and educating our GPs and health professionals alongside our community members about the issues directly relevant to women today. We would not have the respect and the success we enjoy today without your support. On behalf of board members, staff and volunteers of The Jean Hailes Foundation, thank you for sharing our vision. We hope that we have been able to assist you with health issues and we hope that we have enabled you to educate yourselves on issues relevant to you.

Our promise to you is that we will maintain our farsighted and long term commitment to research excellence. This, combined with the continued expansion of education programs for the community and health professionals and improved clinical care, is essential to improving the health Australian women.

Growth is not just being bigger. 

To us it is always striving for better ways to respond to the needs of women and the community. 2002 and beyond are exciting horizons - we look forward to your ongoing interest and support.

HORMONES & DEPRESSION: IS THERE A LINK? 

Depression is a major public health issue.

But many more suffer symptoms that they never report to their physicians and so they are never treated. Most women who present to their doctors with these symptoms are diagnosed as depressed and treated with antidepressants. Or else, they're chronically unwell and labelled as women not coping with life.

A woman feels exhausted, wants to lash out at her partner or family, feels irritable and down and the last thing she feels like is sex. Could all these things be related to low hormone levels in her body? As 'normal' hormone levels in women have never been established, it is now agreed in international scientific circles that there is an urgent need for a large-scale comprehensive study to establish just what normal hormone levels are in women and how this relates to mood and well being. Testosterone has been studied in men who have loss of testicular function, and it has been shown that they have an increased rate of depression. Such men, when treated with testosterone, report improved mood and well being.

Under the guidance of Associate Professor Davis several studies have already shown that women with low hormone levels, who are treated with testosterone, have significant improvement in mood and well being. This new study will actually take a step back and establish how prevalent this is in the community, because a controlled clinic-based study is not a true indicator of the average woman in the community. By randomly recruiting thousands of women in the community, from the age of 18 - 75, a picture of the average Australian female, and her hormones, will finally emerge.

Since many women experience loss of well being, diminished mood, unexplained fatigue and low libido, the question is, do low hormone levels = depression?

About hormones 

Hormones are fundamental to normal neurological function for both men and women. Even though we may associate testosterone with men and oestrogen with women, both genders actually need oestrogen and testosterone for normal function. Women actually have more testosterone in their blood than oestrogen and it is testosterone that is converted in the female body to make oestrogen. If our bodies don't have the building blocks of testosterone we can't make enough oestrogen. We need enough hormones in our brains to interact with other chemicals in the brain to have effects on mood and well being.

From known studies it appears that as women approach menopause, testosterone levels start to fall. Unlike oestrogen levels, which fall steadily during menopause, there is a gradual decline of about 50% in testosterone levels 10 or 15 years before menopause occurs. The results of The Sue Ismiel Study will probably not find many 18 year olds who are depressed because of low testosterone in their bodies, but it may find 40 - 45 year olds who do suffer depression due to lowered testosterone and it is these women who may benefit from hormone therapy instead of being treated with anti-depressants. 

If a relationship can be established between hormones, particularly between low testosterone and depression, the management of many women currently being treated for depression may be revolutionised. This needs to be approached with caution because it is inappropriate to treat depressed women with hormones if they should have anti-depressants and the same is true in reverse. If the relationship is established between low testosterone and depression, many women will have the opportunity for a higher quality of life and general well being well into their latter years. This will not only affect women, but their partners, their families and their workplace.

With the appropriate doses of testosterone designed specifically for women (most commonly prescribed as implants, patches, tablets and creams), depression may potentially be easier to treat. However, Associate Professor Davis cautions women not to use testosterone treatments designed for men. Pharmaceutical companies are currently looking at developing testosterone therapies for women, making this new research urgent because there needs to be clear guidelines as to who should be treated before any products become available on the market, or many women risk being inappropriately treated with testosterone therapy. 

The Sue Ismiel International Study into Women's Health and Hormones will: 

The causes of testosterone deficiency 

Women who have their ovaries removed lose 50% of their testosterone. Women who have loss of adrenal function also lose 50% of their testosterone. This includes women treated with prednisolone for asthma or rheumatoid arthritis, which suppresses adrenal function. Women who have pituitary disease have lower testosterone levels and ageing itself is a cause of testosterone deficiency. What this study will do is confirm the belief that testosterone declines with age in hundreds of women, not in tens as in previous studies.

The Future 

According to Associate Professor Davis, women want to feel better. They want to know that when they're 55 they will be at the peak of their lives, not sitting by the fire knitting because that's all they feel capable of achieving. 

THE SUE ISMIEL STORY

The Sue Ismiel International Study into Women's Health and Hormones is Ms Ismiel's first investment in the future of women's health - a project she is keen to see succeed. 

Reflecting on her major achievements Sue asks herself how women are able to reach their full potential, enjoy a relationship or flourish in their career if they are suffering from depression. "I could not have achieved what I have today had I been depressed. I came to this country at the age of fifteen without a word of English. For me, it has taken optimism, confidence and a sense of well being to be successful". 

So, she says, consider the lost opportunities, the lost productivity, and the human and economic cost of female depression.

Sue Ismiel's vision for a healthier Australia has seen her use her business success to "say thank you to Australian women" for supporting her business and helping it to where it is today. "I am keen to give something back to the community", she says simply. "Being a woman with three daughters I think it is important to contribute towards the health of future generations of women".

Sue Ismiel urges Australian women "to participate in this research by The Jean Hailes Foundation, because you are not only helping yourselves, but our future generations. Surely, contributing a little time for such potential rewards is the greatest investment any woman can make".

Please note that women cannot volunteer to participate in this study, as the recruitment is selectively random to ensure that the women enrolled are representative of the average Australian female population. The Jean Hailes Foundation asks only that if you are contacted to participate that you do so, in the knowledge that you will be helping women worldwide to feel better about themselves.

Thanks to our wonderful supporters. 

Our work is only possible because of the generous support of government, charitable trusts and private donors. Thank you to our major donors who have supported our programs. 

• The Commonwealth Department of Health and Aged Care 

• Perpetual Trustees 

• The Jack Brockhoff Foundation 

• The Felton Bequest (ANZ Trustees) 

• The Besen Family Foundation 

• The J.D. and Lyla Harris Charitable Foundation 

• J. B. Were and Son 

• Uncle Toby's 

• Sue Ismiel and Daughters 

• Australasian Menopause Society

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The Jean Hailes Foundation magazine is designed to be informative and educational. It is not intended that The Jean Hailes Foundation magazine provide specific medical advice or replace advice from your health professional. The Jean Hailes Foundation does not accept any liability to any person for the information or advice (or the use of information or advice) which is provided in this magazine or incorporated into it by reference. Information is provided on the basis that all persons reading the magazine undertake responsibility for assessing the relevance and accuracy of its content. 

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Note: This article is an archive. Whilst the Jean Hailes Foundation for Women’s Health has made every effort to ensure this information was accurate at the time of publication, the article content has not been updated since the date listed below. 

Content updated June, 2002