Hormones Are BAD!!!

Excerpt taken from the Washington Post:  “Women who take a popular hormone replacement drug (PREMPRO) after menopause not only increase their chances of getting breast cancer but also seem to face an increased risk of dying from the disease, according to new results of a landmark federal study.”

What they didn’t tell you…

Not all hormones are created equal!

Synthetic hormones (those produced in the lab from pregnant horse urine, ie. Prempro) are not the same as the hormones you produce on your own.  They chemically are different and your body recognizes this difference.  This is not true with bio-identical hormone replacement.  These hormones are identical to the ones you produce in your own body.  The Women’s Health Initiative Study was done with synthetic hormones.

Dr. Kent Holtorf, MD, a specialist in bioidentical hormone therapy and anti-aging medicine stated:

“A thorough review of the medical literature clearly supports the claim that bioidentical hormones have some distinctly different, often opposite, physiological effects to those of their synthetic [non-bioidentical counterpart] hormones. With respect to the risk for breast cancer, heart disease, heart attack, and stroke, substantial scientific and medical evidence demonstrates that bioidentical hormones are safer and more efficacious forms of HRT than commonly used synthetic versions.” Postgrad Med. 2009 Jan;121(1):73-85

Given the preponderance of evidence, maturing women should feel confident that bioidentical hormone replacement, when appropriately prescribed, offers a safer and potentially even more effective alternative to conventional hormone replacement with non-bioidentical hormone drugs (Prempro) to help relieve menopausal symptoms and optimize long-term health. The addition of several proven nutrients to a bioidentical hormone regimen may help optimize estrogen metabolism and reduce cancer risk even further, offering an optimal, balanced approach to health maintenance.

If you have more questions about the recent release of the Women’s Health Initiative study and bio-identical hormone replacement, Dr. O’Connell would be happy to discuss this with you!