Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy Now Proven Safer Than Synthetic HRT

You Are What You Eat

With the media frenzy going on about artificial ingredients and flavors in the food we eat and the resulting negative effects it can have on our health, it would seem to be a given that synthetics are never as good as natural remedies. However, women suffering from the hormonal imbalances of menopause continue to receive synthetic hormone replacement therapy (HRT) at an alarming rate, despite the side effects connected with them. If we know better than to fill our diet with synthetic chemicals and compounds, why is it any better to receive injections or supplements with them?

Bioidentical Research is Overwhelmingly Positive

In a recent Worldhealth.net report discussing the benefits of natural hormone replacement therapy, the results of a meta-analysis of over 200 studies all showed the same results: Natural hormone replacement therapy works better than its synthetic counterpart. A list of celebrities, including Suzanne Somers and Oprah Winfrey, have touted bioidentical HRT as a miracle cure for menopausal symptoms. According to the article, bioidentical HRT relieved the hot flash and sweating symptoms in 71% of the patients researched - an overwhelming improvement to the often-disappointing statistics and side effects of synthetic HRT.

So What's So Wrong With Synthetics?

With the expansive list of negative side effects of synthetic HRT, the easier question to answer would be what's right with them? That answer is: nothing. While there is a small percentage of women who experience some relief from their menopausal symptoms due to synthetic HRT treatment, the pros definitely do not outweigh the cons.

Vision problems, chest pain, shortness of breath, breast lumps, dizziness, and depression are all common side-effects from taking synthetic HRT, and can often be more severe and life-altering than the actual symptoms the therapy is meant to relieve.

Horse Urine? Really?

Another problem is that synthetic HRT uses compounds taken from the waste products of animals. Two popular synthetic hormones used in HRT actually contain horse urine from pregnant mares. In contrast, bioidentical HRT contains compounds taken from plant matter, and is completely natural. Our bodies do not see these hormones as foreign matter and adapt much easier (and more naturally) to the compounds.

For more information about bioidentical hormone replacement therapy, please visit http://www.genesysinstitute.com To contact the author, or to find out more about the content of this article, call (801) 685-2730 or email me personally at DrMoore@genesysinstitute.com. We serve clients throughout the United States and would be happy to discuss any concerns or questions you might have concerning bioidentical hormone replacement therapy, and whether it is the right choice for you.

Alternative Hormone Replacement Therapy For Women - Are Bio-identical Hormones Safer

If you are looking for alternative hormone replacement therapy for women, then you are probably at or nearing the age of menopause. Many women are interested in alternatives because of the health dangers of hormone replacement therapy. The good news is that there are alternatives. Different things work for different women. A lot depends on lifestyle, diet and exercise, as well as your overall physical health.

Lately bio-identical hormones have been suggested as alternative hormone replacement therapy for women, but in actuality, no one knows if bio-identical hormones carry the health dangers of hormone replacement therapy, or not. They are called bio-identical because the molecular structure of the hormones is identical to a woman's own. Doctors and compounding pharmacists create a mix that is designed specifically for an individual woman. It is probably safer than conventional HRT, but no studies concerning long-term use have been done. The therapy was made popular by a book written by Suzanne Somers, in which she states that she will take them for the rest of her life.

According to reports, Ms. Somers did not have issues related to lifestyle, diet or exercise and she was in generally good health, but was devastated by the symptoms associated with menopause. Other women have felt the same way. While doctors and major pharmaceutical companies have focused on estrogen replacement, bio-identical HRT takes into account levels of all hormones, and replaces those that are lacking. For example, low testosterone levels in women can cause women to have difficulty reaching orgasm, among other things, but traditional hormone replacement therapy does not include testosterone, only equine estrogens and synthetic progesterone.

The better women's clinics evaluate a woman's lifestyle, diet and exercise regimen before recommending treatment, mainly because of the dangers of hormone replacement therapy, but also because HRT is not necessary for all women. There are many lifestyle factors that can aggravate menopausal symptoms. Smoking cigarettes, excessive alcohol consumption, sedentary lifestyles, poor diet and inadequate vitamin intake are some of them. Studies have shown that excess stress also increases symptoms and that stress reduction therapy reduces them. Menopause can be a very stressful time in a woman's life and the amount of stress that women are under continues to increase.

When lifestyle is not a factor and a woman's diet is well balanced and includes a variety of fruits and vegetables, vitamin supplementation may be necessary, particularly calcium, vitamin D and magnesium. A supplement that contains soy or red clover isoflavones (a type of plant estrogen), as well as calcium, vitamin D and magnesium may help prevent osteoporosis. Studies have shown that estrogen, as well as vitamin D and magnesium, improve the body's ability to absorb calcium.

In fact plant hormones, like those found in soy, red clover and wild yam, is considered alternative hormone replacement therapy by some. In addition there are botanicals that effectively reduce hot flashes. One is black cohosh.

There are plant components that reduce mood swings and depression, like 5 HTP, which is used by the body to create serotonin, which, in turn, is important for regulating mood, appetite and sleep cycles.

There are botanicals that the body can use to create hormones, such as tribulus terrestris. Contrary to what some people think, not all of a woman's hormones are produced by the ovaries. Some are produced by the adrenals. Some are produced from cholesterol. Some are created from other hormones. If you believe that the body can create what the body needs, if it has the proper "ingredients", then you may see that taking synthetic hormones can actually reduce the body's ability to create its own. Particularly if the standard dosage contains more of one or the other than the body needs.

The alternative hormone replacement therapy for women that consists of bio-identical hormones may have shortcomings in that hormonal levels can vary from day to day and week to week. So, while the compound created may be correct on one day, it may not be on the next.

The known dangers of hormone replacement therapy, according to the Women's Health Initiative include blood clots, which can lead to stroke and heart attack. The longer a woman uses HRT, the greater her risks of developing breast and other types of cancer. Once thought to reduce the risk of heart disease and osteoporosis, the Women's Health Initiative showed that the dangers of hormone replacement therapy outweigh the benefits. As previously stated, no one knows if bio-identical or other alternative hormone replacement therapy for women is any safer than conventional HRT.

For more information about menopause and hormone replacement or to learn about natural products that can relieve menopausal symptoms and improve overall health, please visit the Menopause and PMS Guide.

Patsy Hamilton was a health care professional for over twenty years before becoming a freelance writer. Currently she writes informational articles for the Menopause and PMS Guide. Visit us at www.menopause-and-pms-guide.com.