Your hormones are unique in amount and ratio and change throughout the day, month and even year. How can you expect one synthetic or even natural pre made dose to match your hormone patterns?
There are many problems with synthetic hormones. The Women's Health Initiative Study clearly revealed an increase in strokes, heart disease, breast cancer colon cancer and blood clots in women taking synthetic HRT. Synthetic estrogen and progestin are not the same chemical structure as our bodies hormones so we would expect problems. Natural bio identical hormones are both natural (based on plant estrogens) and formed into a bio-identical structure exactly the same as our own estrogen and progesterone.
To date, studies show that these boi identical hormones do not cause cancer, stroke or heart disease. Further more, they are given in doses based on your needs.
All of the hormones in your body are designed to work together and together they affect your health and well being. You are evaluated for your own set of environmental, physiological and genetic risk factors and a sample of your bodies hormone levels is taken over a 24 hour period. In general a combination of urine, blood or saliva is used to reflect your exact hormone pattern, although sampling method depends on your risk factors and history.
Based on your results, a prescription is written for natural bioidentical hormones in the ratio that your body needs. A special compounding pharmacy puts together your replacement therapy which may be a cream or a pill.
Levels are checked if needed, six weeks aftinitiation of therapy and/or yearly thereafter.
Therapy also involves counseling in nutritional factors contributing to distressing symptoms as well as counseling in how to maximize your nutrition while on therapy. Mind Body aspects of menopause are explored and solutions offered. An exercise prescription is given to minimize the effects of aging and help you to reach full potential in your bioidentical hormone replacement program.
Healthy Living: menopause options
Some women are seeking out natural alternatives to hormone replacement therapy
BYLINE: DEBBE GEIGER
DATE: June 15, 2004
PUBLICATION: Atlanta Journal-Constitution, The (GA)
EDITION: Home; The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
SECTION: Features
PAGE: E1
Ever since the government halted its large-scale study of hormone replacement therapy, more women have been seeking alternative treatments to combat the symptoms of menopause.
Patty Werner of Marietta is one of them. Werner was 52 when she started experiencing night sweats, sleeplessness, mood swings, and anxiety.
Six months after her gynecologist confirmed she was going through menopause, Werner says the symptoms became unbearable. Even so, she refused to consider taking HRT, which may increase risk for cancer, stroke, heart attack, and blood clots.
Doctors say estrogen is still the most effective way to treat the hot flashes, vaginal dryness and irritability often associated with this natural aging process and is safe if taken for the short term -- three to five years. But synthetic estrogen is not the only answer. Some women find relief with "natural" hormones made from plant estrogens that more closely mimic what is produced in the body, said Dr. Christine Gustafson, an integrative medicine practitioner in Roswell, who uses a combination of natural and traditional therapies to treat medical conditions.
Werner underwent testing to determine the hormone levels in her blood and was prescribed a custom blend of bio-identical estrogens, which are made from yams and are chemical replicas of the hormones made by the human body. It has made a "huge difference," says Werner, now 55.
Bio-identical hormones are one choice in a broad mix of options available to women seeking relief. According to the North American Menopause Society, women are combating the effects of menopause with healthy diets, exercise, vitamins, and calcium supplements. Others turn to acupuncture, relaxation therapy, and meditation. Herbal products, sold alone or in combination, are also in demand. But users need to be aware that clinical studies on them are inconclusive.
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