Menopause Relief

Women always ask me if they should take hormone replacement therapy to alleviate their menopause symptoms. My answer is always the same, no matter what the situation: Choose bioidentical hormone replacement therapy over conventional.

Conventional hormone replacement therapy has been shown to have a wide range of risks, including increased risk of breast cancer and heart disease. Why take this risk? Instead, choose more natural forms of hormone replacement therapy, including estriol.

Estriol is produced in the lab from active steroid molecules found in soy. The resulting molecules are structurally the same as those produced in your body. Of the three types of estrogen produced within your body, estriol is the weakest and least potent. Several research studies have found that it is as effective as the stronger, more potent estrogens for treating menopause symptoms. And unlike conventional hormone replacement therapy that may cause fluid retention, headaches, nausea, and the buildup of uterine tissue, estriol has few, if any, side effects.

One study published in JAMA 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. Plus, in three of the four groups, women who had ranked their symptoms as severe now felt that their symptoms were very mild.

Talk to your doctor about this safe and effective option for menopause relief