Did you know that taking conventional hormone replacement therapy increases your risk for stroke? In fact, preliminary studies show that in younger females, estrogen actually protects brain tissue traumatized by stroke, but after menopause estrogen becomes neurotoxic: It takes the area of the brain damaged by stroke and actually enlarges it.
It is important to remember that conventional hormone replacement therapy does not cure menopause symptoms, it only postpones them. For the majority of women, menopause symptoms come back when they discontinue hormone therapy, whether they quit cold-turkey or gradually wean off. But alternative therapies, such as supplements and bioidentical hormone replacement therapy, actually target the causative hormonal imbalance, rather than the symptoms.
Review all my menopause-related entries in this blog, and my Web site, for more information about natural solutions for menopause relief.
Considering how much news comes out on the consequences of taking conventional hormone replacement therapy, I think it is important to stay abreast of the latest research on the subject. Ovarian cancer and asthma are just two more reasons to choose natural hormone therapy methods, like bioidentical hormone replacement.
A study of nearly a million women showed that even if hormone replacement therapy is taken for less than a year, and even if it’s low dose, it brings a significant increase in ovarian cancer risk. That’s irrespective of dosing frequency (daily vs. cyclic), mode of delivery (skin patch, pills, vaginal preparation, or hormone intrauterine device), and whether the formula’s estrogen is countered by progesterone. The cause-and-effect relationship between hormone replacement therapy and ovarian cancer was confirmed by the finding that after a woman has been off of it for two years, her increased ovarian cancer risk drops back to her original risk level. Ovarian cancer remains the deadliest of a woman’s hormone-sensitive cancers.
As for asthma, it has been known for several years that conventional hormone replacement therapy significantly increases a woman’s odds of developing asthma after menopause, even if she has no respiratory allergies. In a recent study of nearly 60,000 asthma-free women entering menopause, taking conventional hormone replacement not only increased their risk of developing asthma by 20 percent, but that risk rose to 54 percent if the hormone therapy consisted of estrogen without progesterone. And, if a woman already had some form of allergies before starting estrogen replacement therapy, her risk of developing asthma went up by a whopping 86 percent.
All the more reason to use natural hormone replacement therapy, or safe, effective alternatives for menopause releif, like black cohosh and the many other nutrients I discuss in this blog!
trying to increase estrogen levels to offset menopause symptoms. And with all the negative side effects surrounding conventional hormone replacement therapy, many women don't know where to turn. Fortunately, you don't have to look any further than bioidentical hormone replacement. Biochemically identical hormones are molecularly identical to the hormones found in the human body. Moreover, they are produced in the laboratory from natural ingredients such as soy and wild yam, derived from plants, not horse urine. Since bioidentical hormones are biologically similar to the hormones your body produces, they do not appear to have the grave risks associated with conventional HRT.
The bioidentical estrogen that Dr. Lark typically recommends is estriol. Of the three types of estrogen produced within your body, estriol is the weakest and least potent. More importantly, several research studies have found that it is as effective as the stronger, more potent estrogens for treating menopause symptoms.
One study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that estriol was particularly effective in treating vaginal atrophy, mood swings, and hot flashes. Researchers selected 52 symptomatic, postmenopausal women and separated them into four groups, giving each group either 2 mg, 4 mg, 6 mg, or 8 mg of estriol per day for six months. On average, women in every group experienced a decrease in their menopausal symptoms after one month of treatment. Furthermore, in the groups with the three highest dosages, women who had ranked their symptoms as severe now felt that their symptoms were very mild.
Estriol and all biochemically identical estrogen have to be prescribed by your physician. Estriol is available at most compounding pharmacies, as well as a few mainstream pharmacies, including the Women’s International Pharmacy in Madison, Wisconsin, which sends estriol formulations to physicians throughout the U.S.
For more information on bioidentical hormone replacement or other natural hormone replacement therapy options, visit Dr. Lark's Web site.
filled medical journals for more than 20 years. There was clear evidence that conventional HRT use increased a woman’s risk for heart disease and breast cancer. And yet, many physicians were still insisting on prescribing conventional hormone replacement therapy. And many women were still taking it. But the summer of 2002 forever removed the curtain of doubt surrounding the dangers of HRT.On July 17, 2002, the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) reported on the findings from one part of the Women's Health Initiative (WHI), an 8.5 year project funded by the National Institutes of Health. The WHI involved 161,809 postmenopausal women between the ages of 50 and 79, and outlined the benefits and risks of a variety of treatments designed to lower the incidences of several diseases, including heart disease, breast and colon cancer, and fractures in postmenopausal women. Of this group, 16,608 women who were healthy and had an intact uterus participated in one part of the WHI, which tested the effectiveness of estrogen/progestin therapy.
According to the findings, women taking estrogen/progestin for five years or more had an increased risk for blood clots, coronary heart disease (CHD), strokes, and breast cancer. The researchers concluded, "The results indicate that this regimen should not be initiated or continued for primary prevention of CHD."
The data indicated that if 10,000 women took the drugs for a year and 10,000 did not, women in the first group would have eight more cases of invasive breast cancer, seven more heart attacks, eight more strokes, and 18 more instances of blood clots.
In fact, researchers felt so strongly about the negative implications of long-term combined hormone replacement therapy, especially the unacceptably high risk for breast cancer, that they ended the study three years early! Participants were contacted and instructed to stop taking the drug—immediately.
The Research is Clear
The research leaves no room for doubt about conventional hormone replacement therapy and its negative effects on women’s health.
- It does not reduce a woman's risk of heart disease. While it can improve HDL and LDL cholesterol levels, these improvements are not associated with fewer heart attacks or other heart problems.
- It increases a woman’s risk of heart attack, stroke, and blood clots.
- It does not reverse pre-existing heart disease.
- It raises levels of C-reactive protein, an indicator of inflammation that is a strong predictor of a future heart attack.
- It increases the risk of invasive breast cancer.
- It increases the likelihood of an abnormal mammogram after just one year of use.
- It increases risk of gallbladder disease by 40 percent.
Where Do We Go From Here?
While many physicians and researchers are still hoarding the "fool's gold" known as hormone replacement therapy, complementary medicine is busily mining the mother lode of real gold—and women are taking notice.
Large numbers of American women are either abandoning their hormone replacement therapy or deciding to never start taking it. Many are rejecting physicians unfamiliar with or unsympathetic to natural health supports. They are also realizing the power and wisdom of using natural medicines and herbal remedies for easing menopausal discomforts, and are very interested in natural solutions for heart disease and osteoporosis.
Before changing your hormone replacement therapy regimen, be sure to discuss your plans with your physician. Chances are, you will be able to eliminate your conventional hormone replacement therapy or dramatically reduce the dose you require for symptomatic relief. Either way, you win: Recent research indicates that breast cancer risk returns to normal within a few years of stopping HRT, and it's likely that lower-dose HRT has less of an adverse impact on estrogen-positive breast cancer risk.
For more information about hormone replacement therapy and for a variety of natural hormone replacement therapy options, visit Dr. Lark's Web site.
still the subject of heated debate. This debate essentially ended when an article described by a Harvard Medical School professor as "close to being the final word" on conventional hormone replacement therapy and breast cancer was published in the Lancet. Fifty-one studies involving more than 161,000 women were reviewed. The conclusion: Conventional hormone replacement therapy increased the risk of breast cancer with each year of use. Women using conventional hormone replacement therapy for five or more years were at 35 percent greater risk.
Another study revealed that after 10 years of use, estrogen replacement therapy (hormone replacement therapy using estrogen alone) increased a woman's risk of dying from breast cancer by 43 percent. Other similar studies indicate that combined estrogen-progestin therapy, the kind used by most women, increases breast cancer risk even more than estrogen replacement therapy does!
Concerns about combined estrogen-progestin hormone replacement therapy were identified by a large National Cancer Institute study and were reported in the Journal of the American Medical Association. The study concluded that women who took the combined treatment for five years were 40 percent more likely to develop breast cancer than women taking estrogen alone or no hormones.
Similarly, other studies have confirmed an even higher 60 to 70 percent increase in breast cancer risk with the long-term use of HRT.
While the figures vary from study to study, the evidence is clear, compelling, and consistent—conventional hormone replacement therapy increases a woman's risk of developing breast cancer, and with each additional year of use, that risk gets higher.
Opt instead for natural hormone replacement therapy options, such as maca, black cohosh, and bioidentical hormone replacement.
For more information on HRT and natural hormone replacement therapy options, visit Dr. Lark's Web site.
Considering the many dangers of conventional hormone replacement therapy, I am happy that more and more research is showing that something as inexpensive and health-promoting as exercise can provide real and lasting relief from this common effect of menopause.
My recommendation is to find an activity or exercise you love and do it often! Walking, hiking, tennis, cycling, dancing, and swimming are some great options. Ideally, you should exercise up to an hour every day. But realistically, I know this goal can be difficult to achieve if you have a busy schedule. So aim for about 30 (or more if you can) minutes at least five days a week.
Osteoporosis commonly occurs when estrogen levels start fluctuating as a result of menopause. When it comes to preventing and treating osteoporosis, conventional physicians typically focus on what I call the "big four": calcium, vitamin D, conventional hormone replacement therapy (despite its many risks and side effects), and prescription drugs such as Fosamax, Actonel, and Evista. While I agree that calcium and vitamin D are important, I prefer a much more natural overall approach to maintaining bone health.
First, if you choose to balance your estrogen levels using hormone therapy, I highly recommend choosing bioidentical hormones replacement therapy. Second, I don't recommend the use of prescription drugs like Fosamax because of the risk of gastrointestinal side effects and chemical burning of the esophagus (which is why the package inserts instruct patients to sit upright and refrain from eating for half an hour after taking the drug). Another scary side effect is osteonecrosis--infection and death of bone tissue in the jaw.
Instead, to keep your bones strong, I recommend exercising most days of the week (be sure to include strength training); drinking at least eight glasses of water daily; following an alkaline diet to reduce overacidity in your body (which can affect your bones); and taking the following bone-building supplements:
- Calcium: Post-menopausal women need around 1,200–1,500 mg per day. Women with bone loss need around 1,500–2,000 mg per day. I recommend calcium carbonate, which is alkaline. Your body can absorb only about 500 mg of calcium at a time, so take it in divided doses.
- Magnesium oxide: 500–750 mg per day
- Zinc: 15–25 mg per day
- Silica: 20–50 mg per day
- Boron: 3–6 mg per day
- Vitamin K: 40 mcg per day
- Vitamin D: 400–800 IU per day
- Mineral-buffered Vitamin C: 1,000–3,000 mg (in divided doses) per day
Instead, the article covered the social and feminist changes the pill brought about. As fascinating as this perspective was, I was shocked that they barely touched on the medical issues surrounding this form of birth control. In fact, the only real reference to the medical side of the pill was to a March 2010 study from the British Medical Journal, which found that “women on the Pill live longer and are less likely to die prematurely of all causes, including cancer and heart disease.” It goes on to read “yet many women still question whether the health risks outweigh the benefits.” However, the article never discusses those risks.
I found this particularly surprising, given that one of the March 2010 issues of the same publication discussed the study in detail, which explained that the study was on women who at taken the Pill “at some point in their lives.” Interestingly, the March Time article goes on to read “Women who take birth control pills do need to consider potential risks, including an increased risk for blood clots, and should discuss their medical histories with their doctors prior to taking the pill.”
Additionally, the author included advice from gynecologist and obstetrician Dr. Katharine O'Connell White, who told the magazine in an earlier article that “women who have high blood pressure, migraines with aura, are smokers over age 35 and women with a personal or family history of blood clots should not take the pill.” Where was all this discussion in the May article that was supposed to be discussion the “misunderstanding” of the Pill?
Clearly, the author of the May 3rd article was a proponent of the Pill and wanted to discuss the social impact it has had. I get that. However, I find it irresponsible to refer to the March study and not discuss the risks of taking the Pill.
What the author failed to discuss is the increased risk of breast, cervical, and uterine cancers from the Pill. Or the danger of developing blood clots or increasing your risk of heart attack. I personally cannot take the Pill because of a blood clotting disorder I have, and the increased estrogen levels the Pill provides worsens the condition. Plus, as Dr. Lark has written, the Pill can actually impair reproductive health—particularly in younger women with a poorly established menstrual cycle who use it as a PMS treatment.
Additionally, there is currently not a bioidentical birth control pill, which means that all oral contraception is comprised of synthetic hormones rather than your own natural female hormones. And, as we now know from traditional hormone replacement therapy, synthetic hormones are bad medicine for women.
So, while I appreciate the “freedom” and control the Pill has given to women, for me, the real freedom and control will come when we cease to use women as guinea pigs and start offering safe, natural solutions that women can trust.
Exactly. Conventional hormone replacement therapy is risky, no matter what dosage you use. Do you really want to take that risk when their are natural, risk-free options available to you? I encourage you to try different combinations of natural treatments--including soy, black cohosh, red clover, and even acupressure--until you find what works best for you. Remember, as with all supplements and even prescription drugs, what works for Sally down the street may not work for you, so be patient and experiment with these natural therapies until you find a combination that works for you. I also recommend reading through this entire blog, which contains a variety of unique solutions to help bring you menopause relief!
Premenopause is the first stage of menopause. Thanks to the imbalance of progesterone and estrogen levels in your body, it's common to experience irregular periods, heavy menstrual bleeding, and less frequent ovulation. Fortunately, you can take certain supplements to regulate your female hormones and your periods.
Soy isoflavones provide estrogen-like support to balance out fluctuating hormones, without the risks of conventional hormone replacement therapy. Take 50–100 mg daily.
Bioflavonoids also have estrogen-like effects in the body. When taken with vitamin C, they strengthen blood vessels, thereby reducing heavy menstrual bleeding. They also modulate estrogen levels. Take 1,500–3000 mg daily, along with 1,000–3,000 mg of vitamin C.
Vitex (Chaste tree berry) normalizes the secretion of female hormones and helps to bring estrogen levels and progesterone levels into balance. Take 40 mg daily.
Estrogen and progesterone balance each other out, which is why it is often used as part of a hormone replacement therapy regimen. For example, estrogen elevates your mood, while progesterone has a sedative effect on mood. And one of the major jobs of progesterone is to prevent menstrual bleeding from become too heavy or long-lasting (which often happens as a result of estrogen dominance). It also prevents the uterine lining from becoming too thick, which can lead to uterine cancer.
How do you know if your body is making enough progesterone? I've provided a checklist in the past, which I encourage you to review. If you and your doctor determine that you are a candidate for progesterone replacement to relieve your menopause symptoms like hot flashes and night sweats, I recommend that you look into natural progesterone replacement.
While certainly disturbing and unscrupulous, I suppose I'm not too surprised by the tactics used by Wyeth to market Prempro, preying on women's desperation to find menopause relief and help for hot flashes. But this article adds to my resolve in helping women find safe, natural alternatives to reduce menopause hot flashes and night sweats. I've spoken many times about the dangers of conventional hormone replacement therapy and why bioidentical hormone replacement and herbs such as black cohosh are healthier, more effective options. I strongly encourage you to consider these natural treatments over Prempro and Wyeth's newest hormone replacement therapy drug, Aprela.
Fortunately, in about half of menopausal women, hot flashes disappear within a year. If you suffer from menopause hot flashes, remember, there are effective natural solutions--including supplements and even acupressure--that can provide real relief. Bioidentical hormone replacement therapy is also an excellent option for some women--but be sure to talk to your doctor about this, since you'll need a prescription for it.
I encourage you to try these therapies out and find a an effective combination that works for you.
- Exercise. As I mentioned in my last post , exercise can provide significant menopause relief, especially from night sweats and hot flashes. It's also well established that regular exercise is a powerful way to reduce breast cancer risk. In one study of women aged 50 and older published in the July 2001 issue of Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention, regularly engaging in high recreational physical activity dropped the odds of breast cancer by a whopping 66 percent!
- Avoid conventional hormone replacement therapy. In 2002, scientists reported an up to 79 percent increased risk of breast cancer in women taking conventional hormone replacement therapy. But the latest research not only confirms those findings, it magnifies them. Taking conventional hormone replacement therapy causes the risk of breast cancer to increase quickly--within just a couple of years after starting the hormones. So, don't assume that it is safe to take these synthetic hormones for a short period of time to reduce menopause symptoms and ease the transition into menopause! Fortunately, if you already take conventional hormone replacement therapy, the good news is that the elevated risk goes back down within just a year or two after stopping. If you absolutely need menopause relief and want to consider hormonal therapy, I urge you to talk to your doctor about bioidentical hormone replacement.
- Melatonin is a powerful breast cancer preventative that also doubles as a sleep enhancer. In one study published in the November 2006 issue of Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry, two groups of rats were put on intense exercise programs. At the same time, one group also received supplemental melatonin. The group that received the melatonin had no increase in tumor growth, while the tumors of the rats that were not given melatonin were significantly larger. In my own practice, I have seen melatonin work wonders for breast cancer prevention, and as a sleep aid for those women who suffer from insomnia due to horrible night sweats. I recommend taking 1–1.5 mg of melatonin each evening before bed, although for sleep, excellent results may be achieved with as little as 300 mcg per day.
And, of course, it goes without saying that you should be diligent about conducting your monthly self-breast exams and getting screened regularly!
It's interesting that the FDA says that they want women to be informed about treatments for menopause symptoms, but at the same time they take efforts to limit women's access to solutions, such as bioidentical hormones, that have been proven to help ease hot flashes, night sweats, and the other unpleasant menopause symptoms. In addition, they continue to allow synthetic hormone replacement therapy to be distributed to women despite the known risk of cancer, heart disease, stroke, and more. It's time the FDA got with the program.
Dr. Lark knew the risks of synthetic hormone replacement therapy long before the Women's Health Initiative (WHI) studies were released and has successfully used alternative therapies to help ease both menopause and perimenopause symptoms. She often discusses natural solutions for hot flashes, night sweats and other hormone-related issues in her monthly newsletter, Women's Wellness Today.
So, in celebration of Menopause Awareness Month, I encourage you to learn more about the safer, natural therapies for menopause symptoms by reading these blogs and visiting Dr. Lark's site here.
I consulted a dear mommy friend of mine who was actually surprised that I didn't get night sweats after my first pregnancy. Evidently, post-partum sweating, especially at night, is quite common. Sweating is one of the ways your body gets rid of the extra water retained during pregnancy. It's also possible that the drop in estrogen that occurs right after delivery contributes to the night sweats. Who knew?
So, here I am, one year later, no longer having the night sweats, but knowing that menopause will come one day. Luckily, for all of us, there are now natural solutions for menopause relief. We do not need to suffer like our mothers once did. And, we certainly don't need to put ourselves at risk with hormone replacement therapy.
I was upset to see news of a recent study conducted at the University of Illinois at Chicago and Northwestern University that concluded that placebo is better than black cohosh and red clover at reducing menopause symptoms like hot flashes. While I acknowledge that red clover has not been studied enough to conclude that it helps relieve certain effects of menopause, I completely disagree with their black cohosh findings. In fact, I have been recommending black cohosh for many years and my patients have experienced great relief from hot flashes, night sweats, and other effecs of menopause.
Black cohosh, native to North America, is derived from the dried rootstock and roots of Cimicifuga racemosa. Traditionally it was used to treat rheumatism, general malaise, kidney ailments, and malaria as well as to provide pain relief during menstruation and childbirth. Native Americans have used the herb throughout history to treat a wide variety of gynecological conditions.
Clinical studies have shown that black cohosh extract not only relieves menopause hot flashes, but also depression and vaginal atrophy. This research has prompted well-publicized studies on the standardized extract of black cohosh and its ability to treat menopause symptoms.
In one of the largest studies on black cohosh, women with menopause symptoms received forty drops of liquid black cohosh extract twice a day for six to eight weeks. Within four weeks of treatment, a distinct improvement was seen in nearly 80 percent of the women. After six to eight weeks, all symptoms had completely disappeared in half of the women.
Another study found similar results. Scientists gave women with menopause symptoms either high- or low-dose black cohosh for a twelve week period. At the conclusion of the study, approximately 80 percent of both patients and physicians rated the treatment as "good to very good." The investigators reported no differences in either effectiveness or adverse reactions between the two groups.
The only good news that came from this newest study from the University of Illinois at Chicago and Northwestern University is that black cohosh won't hurt you and is considered safe. Well, this is GREAT news indeed, considering the only FDA-approved treatment for menopause symptoms--hormone replacement therapy--is dreadfully dangerous and increases your risk of heart disease, cancer (particularly breast cancer), stroke, and other serious problems. So if you have menopause hot flashes, night sweats, or other menopause symptoms, why not try a natural treatment that has been proven safe? I suggest taking 40 to 80 mg of a standardized extract of black cohosh twice a day. This dose should contain 2 to 4 mg of the active components (triterpenes, calculated as 27-deoxyacteine).
Is anyone surprised?
For years, Dr. Lark has been reporting on the negative risk factors and side effects associated with conventional HRT. Previous studies have shown that this therapy increases a woman's risk of heart disease, stroke, gallbladder disease, and breast cancer, and it can intensify pre-existing conditions such as heavy bleeding from fibroids, migraine headaches, and blood clotting problems. Plus, some women experience terrible side effects, such as depression, anxiety, breast tenderness, weight gain, and fluid retention.
* Melatonin: A good night’s sleep is a necessity for all women, but night sweats can seriously interfere with that. Inadequate sleep also interferes with your ability to get your natural nightly dose of melatonin—the hormone your pineal gland secretes when you’re in a deep sleep during the darkest part of the night. Taking supplemental melatonin can help you sleep better, even if your sleep disturbance is due to night sweats. Dr. Lark recommends taking 3 mcg–3 mg of melatonin every night, about 30 minutes before you go to bed. Start with the lower dosage and increase, if needed, until you get the desired effect.
Dr. Lark has dedicated herself to providing women with natural, safer alternatives for menopause symptoms. You can find many more of her solutions on her blog and web site.
To learn more about the recent study, click here.
With all the discussion surrounding conventional hormone replacement therapy and bioidentical hormones, it’s no wonder that women are at a loss for ANY solution, natural or otherwise, to their menopause symptoms. If you are looking for a quick, easy, effective, and delicious option to ease the discomfort of night sweats, hot flashes, and other signs of menopause, then soy is for you.
Soy contains phytoestrogens, weak, estrogen-like plant compounds. The specific phytoestrogens found in soy are genistein and diadzein. They are also often referred to as isoflavones. These soy isoflavones have been shown ease menopausal symptoms in thousands of women.
Plus, eating soy-based foods has other long-term health benefits. For example, soy does not appear to have a carcinogenic effect on uterine cells or breast tissue. Plus, the EFAs in soy are good for heart health and supple skin.
To ensure you are getting adequate amounts of soy in your diet, Dr. Lark suggests aiming for 50–100 mg of soy isoflavones per day. This translates to two cups of soy milk (35–40 mg in one glass), ½ cup of edamame (150 mg in ½ cup), or one cup of tofu (35 mg in ½ cup). Just be sure to always, always choose organic soy products, as soy is one of the two most common genetically modified crops in the United States.
Here are a few easy and delectable ways to ensure you are getting enough soy in your diet:
- Make a smoothie for breakfast. Mix one cup soy milk with one banana, a handful of strawberries, one tablespoon of ground flaxseed, and a few cubes of ice. Blend well and enjoy your 70 to 80 mg of soy isoflavones.
- Enjoy a hormone-healthy salad for lunch. Mix 1 cup chopped romaine lettuce with one tomato (diced), ½ a cucumber (diced), ½ cup edamame (whole soybeans), and 2 tablespoons of pumpkin seeds. Toss with a bit of extra-virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar and enjoy.
- Whip up an easy dessert. Place four ounces soft tofu, one cup mango, one cup papaya, and 1 teaspoon honey in a blender. Mix well and share with a friend. You’ll each get about 15 to 20 mg of soy isoflavones.
Ever since the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) reported on the dangers of conventional hormone replacement therapy (HRT) in the July 17, 2002 issue of the journal, women have been scrambling to find a safer, yet still effective treatment for menopause symptoms.
In case you are not familiar with the study, JAMA reported on the findings from one part of the Women’s Health Initiative, an 8.5 year project funded by the National Institutes of Health. According to the findings, menopausal women taking estrogen/progestin for five years or more had an increased risk for blood clots, coronary heart disease, strokes, and breast cancer. In fact, researchers felt so strongly about the negative implications of long-term combined HRT, especially the unacceptably high risk for breast cancer, that they ended the study three years early! Participants were contacted and instructed to stop taking the drug—immediately.
As you can imagine, the pharmaceutical companies have been in a panic ever since, as hundreds of thousands of women have stopped taking their medication and look to natural medicine for answers…answers that many have found in bioidentical hormones.
Dr. Lark has written about and prescribed bioidentical hormones for more than 20 years. In fact, in our book Hormone Revolution, we have devoted several pages to the topic. And when it comes to using bioidentical hormones to treat menopause symptoms such as night sweats, hot flashes, and other signs of menopause, the most commonly prescribed hormone is estriol.
Given the sudden drought in conventional HRT usage (and therefore loss of money to pharmaceutical companies), as well as the increased interest and media attention surrounding the usage and efficacy of bioidentical hormones—namely estriol—it shouldn’t come as a surprise that the FDA is now cracking down on these natural options.
According to the FDA’s Web site, the “use of ‘bio-identical’ as a marketing term implying a benefit for the drug, for which there is no medical or scientific basis.” They even go so far as to state that estriol “is not a component of an FDA-approved drug and has not been proven safe and effective for any use.”
This is simply ridiculous and just plain outrageous. Estriol is the weakest, and therefore safest, of your three main types of estrogen. It has been studied in various animal and human studies and has been shown to be less likely to promote excessive tissue growth, and even helps prevent breast and endometrial cancers.
To me, that seems to contradict the “not been proven safe” part of the FDA’s statement. And, as for the “not been proven effective for any use,” I cannot help but wonder if the FDA is familiar with the JAMA study that found that estriol was particularly effective in treating vaginal atrophy, mood swings, and hot flashes. Or, how about study from Alternative Medicine Review, which found that estriol provided the protection of conventional hormone replacement therapy without the risks. Plus, estriol was found to ease menopause symptoms, including hot flashes, insomnia, vaginal dryness, and urinary tract infections.
Don’t be fooled by the FDA’s “concerns.” Sadly, in this arena, their main concern seems to be with the pharmaceutical company’s checkbooks, not your health. Keep yourself informed by reading blogs, newsletters, and informative emails from trusted sources and doing research for yourself. And fight for your right to natural alternatives to all your health concerns.
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