Natural Hormone Replacement Therapy

Traditional hormone replacement therapy has become the standard protocol for women as they approach menopause. Yet not every peri or full menopausal woman has low levels of estrogen and progesterone or suffers from hormone deficiency symptoms. As a result, prescribing hormones to women who don't need them can unnecessarily elevate their levels and produce unwanted side effects.

Yet for women who do have low levels and can benefit from hormone replacement therapy, bioidentical, or natural hormones, is often a safer alternative to synthetic approaches.

The Controversy Regarding Hormone Replacement Therapy

Controversy began after a report suggested a link between breast cancer and estrogen. In July 2003 The Women’s Health Initiative, the largest government study on synthetic hormones, was halted when early results showed that women using conventional HRT (specifically PremPro), had a much higher risk of invasive breast cancer, heart disease and stroke. Women began to weigh the risks of using HRT against learning to live with the unpleasant symptoms of menopause

Why the study is flawed: Critics of the study point out that the WHI study was NOT representative of women in their 40's and 50's, women who were likely in the early years of peri or full menopause. In fact the average age of the women involved in the study was 63 with an average time into menopause of 12 years.

Natural Hormone Replacement Therapy vs. Conventional

Although traditional hormone replacement therapy has been shown to be safe in women entering peri or full menopause, synthetic hormones are radically different than bioidentical or natural ones. Hormones are considered "natural or bio-identical" if they are exact duplicates of what your body makes.

Why does this matter?

First, bioidentical hormones such as estrogens, progesterone and testosterone are administered transdermally, via patches and creams and in far lower doses than oral estrogens. This is because transdermal methods avoid the "first pass metabolism" by the liver, which is occurs with oral methods.

Second, bioidenticals mimic what your own body naturally produces. Dr. John Lee, a pioneer in women’s health, author of "Hormone Balance Made Simple" and an advocate of bioidenticals for hormone replacement therapy, explains that "Hormones do very complex and specific jobs in the body by fitting into part of your cells called receptors, much the same way that a key fits into a lock. Once the hormone is in the receptor, it gives the cell instructions. If the molecular structure is different, even by ONE atom, the instructions given to the cell are different."

Comparing synthetic to bioidentical hormones is like comparing processed white bread to all natural unprocessed multi-grain. Both might share similar traits and fill you up, but they perform very differently once inside your body.

3 Flaws With Conventional Hormone Replacement Therapy

1. Doctor's often don't measure hormone levels prior to starting conventional hormone replacement therapy

2. Synthetic hormones, because they are not duplicates of what the body makes on it's own, often produce unwanted side effects.

3. Dosing with synthetic hormones isn't done at a physiologic level, or the level your body would naturally produce on it's own. The synthetic dose is usually much higher than what is necessary for the body to produce a desirable effect.

Dr. Lee’s “3 Rules For Hormone Replacement”

1. Use hormones only if you need them (e.g. if they are measurably low and/or you have clear symptoms)

2. Use bioidentical hormones rather than synthetic hormones

3. Use hormones only in dosages that create hormone balance.

Who Should You Talk To About Hormone Replacement Therapy?

Ideally your Ob/Gyn or a specialist in hormone balancing with a background in endocrinology and/or gynecology. Be sure to find a physician who listens to your symptoms, is open-minded and is trained in both synthetic and natural / bio-identical hormone replacement. They should be well-informed regarding the latest research findings on both kinds. Unfortunately, hormone replacement therapy has become such an over-hyped anti-aging industry, that many doctors in fields unrelated to female endocrinology are more than happy to sign you up and “change your life forever.” Buyer beware if you're considering HRT of any kind.

Hormone replacement therapy in women is a complex and specialized field. In the hands of a trained professional who understands the intricacies of a woman’s endocrine system (and more notably, the benefits of bioidentical hormones), hormone replacement therapy can be beneficial for women who truly need it. Most doctors prescribe bioidentical hormones via transdermal delivery systems such as patches, creams, gels and sublingually (under the tongue). Some physicians however, offer hormone pellet therapy, a process of inserting concentrated pellets under the skin to provide continuous delivery of bioidentical estrogen or testosterone. Although pellets offer patients some advantages, once inserted they cannot be easily removed unlike transdermal methods.

If you’re experiencing cyclical or on-going symptoms of menopause or a hormone imbalance, ask your doctor about getting a saliva test (more accurate than blood to measure progesterone levels). Armed with accurate information and a doctor who is knowledgeable about bioidentical hormones, hormone replacement therapy can be as critical to your mental and physical health as the DNA you were born with.

natural hormones

Print Article

Email Article

View All Articles

How to subscribe to feeds