An Examination of Hormone
Replacement Therapies
Hormone Replacement
Therapy is the therapeutic use of
synthetic or natural hormones, usually
estrogen and progesterone, after
menopause or following a
hysterectomy.
Some years ago, only estrogen was
targeted for replacement.
More recently, synthetic forms of both
estrogen and progesterone (examples are
Premarin, PremPro, Progestin) have come
into use.
Today we find more and more physicians
willing to employ natural hormone
replacement therapy utilizing
plant-based substances (examples are
progesterone and estriol). In order to
understand hormones in the context of
natural women’s health, it helps to know
some basic definitions.
Synthetic hormones, standard HRT fare
for many decades, are lab-engineered
‘copies’ of naturally occurring plant
hormone substances. Though they are in fact
‘copies’ of the original hormone, they are
not exact replicas. (Think of a
high-quality copy machine. Though the
copies are very, very similar to the
original, they are still copies.)
Numerous drugs are created from natural
substances; however, the drug manufacturer
will often make very small changes to the
molecular structure in order to create
something that can be patent-protected.
Recent estimates indicate a cost of more
than $800 million dollars for a single drug
to be created, tested, and FDA-approved for
use in the United States. For this reason,
pharmaceutical companies prefer substances
which can be patented.
Natural hormones, also called
bio-identical hormones, are also
synthesized in a lab from plant sources.
However, their chemical structure is not
altered, thus the term “bio-identical”.
Natural hormones fit the body’s hormone
receptors, much like a master key fits into
a lock. In 1939, a scientist/chemist by the
name of Russell E. Marker, found a way to
create something similar to progesterone,
using extracts found in the sarsaparilla
plant.
Shortly thereafter, he then used a
compound called diosgenin, isolated from
the wild yam plant, to create bio-identical
progesterone .
In addition to wild yam, soybeans and
soybean byproducts are also used today to
create natural hormones (examples are
progesterone and estriol).
So which
course of HRT is better?
The decision to use natural hormone
replacement therapy, instead of standard
synthesized hormones, is a decision that
should be made in collaboration with your
physician. As a rule, due to the chemical
modifications, the synthetic versions can
cause side effects that are undesirable.
(unwanted weight gain comes to mind)
On the other hand, bio-identical
hormones have almost no known side
effects, since the substances are
duplicating naturally occurring hormones.
“Going natural”, however, is not easy or
simple, as each person is different. Saliva
tests and/or blood tests will be needed on
an ongoing basis to determine the
effectiveness of the hormone replacement.
This will certainly be more time-consuming
and will probably require a larger
financial commitment. (Insurance companies
are not yet embracing the natural hormone
protocol on any large scale.) Expect larger
co-pays and understand that sometimes the
natural hormone prescriptions will not be
eligible for coverage at all.
For help in locating a local doctor or
nurse practitioner who utilizes natural
hormone replacement therapy, check with a
local compounding pharmacy. A great web
resource is the American Academy of
Anti-aging Medicine.
An important note: The human body is
unable to synthesize hormones directly from
wild yam or soybean products.The natural
hormones must be isolated chemically in a
lab. Beware of claims on health and beauty
products which contain wild yam and/or
soybeans. If the label claims (or suggests)
that the product will help reduce hot
flashes, or in any way relieve menopause
symptoms because of it's hormone-like
properties, be advised.
Disclaimer: This information is not
intended to diagnose, treat or cure any
disease or other medical condition. This
information is provided for educational and
informational purposes only. Please consult
with your doctor should you have specific
health questions or concerns.
