ALTERNATIVES TO HRT

Giving Women Choices
The Risks of Synthetic HRT
The Natural Alternative to Synthetic HRT
What Are Natural Hormones
Synthetic HRT vs. Natural HRT
HRT, Yes or No
Synthetic HRT - How Close is it to Your Own Hormone Make Up

Giving Women Choices

The Menopause Clinics of America utilizes a common sense approach to the treatment of symptoms that come with Menopause. Using hormones that molecularly match the hormones produced by the human body daily our doctors believe you can be treated without the side effects that can be caused by synthetic hormones. (Please note it is require by law to qualify this and say that this is the belief of doctors who have experience with BHRT from their clinic observations and use over the last 10-20 years and all medications carry some level of risk and side effects and you should never begin a hormone treatment program using BHRT without a qualified physician.)

The Risks of Synthetic HRT

The Women's Health Initiative (WHI) study is an extensive investigation into the use of Synthetic estrogen and progestins (not progesterone, the human equivalent). The most commercially available estrogen is that sourced from horse urine, much to women's dismay. The study conducted on over 16,000 subjects was immediately stopped as it began to show:

• A 26% relative increase in the risk of Breast Cancer.
• A 29% relative increase in the risk of coronary heart disease.
• A 41% relative increase in the risk of stroke.
• A 111% relative increase in the risk of venous thrombosis and embolism (DVT).

The Natural Alternative to Synthetic HRT

The Menopause Clinics of America offers all women concerned with harmful side effects of HRT a more natural alternative. Natural Hormone Replacement Therapy (NHRT) uses Bio-identical hormones that provide further benefits to conventional HRT. This treatment chemically matches the hormones produced by the body, and therefore is a most effective method.

Scientific evidence continues to build in favor of using a balanced combination of natural estrogens and progesterone and testosterone. In place of patented laboratory designed Estradiol alone or other horse estrogen, progestin and possibly synthetic testosterone (Wright & Morenthaler 1997:30).

What are natural hormones?

Many people confuse NHRT with dong quai, black cohosh and red clover products. Whilst these over-the-counter, non-prescription items may have a place in the treatment of menopausal symptoms, doctors are using Bio-Identical HRT because it chemically matches the human hormone molecules. It is considered safer and effective by many doctors all over the world, as well as a powerful substitute to synthetic HRT, providing all the benefits of hormone replacement.

NHRT will effectively combat symptoms such as hot flashes, mood swings, low energy and other discomforts attributed to the sudden imbalance of hormones.

NHRT expert, Dr Jonathon Wright, M.D., states that natural estrogen and natural progesterone provide all the benefits of synthetic forms, with many fewer side effects.

He also says "when describing replacement hormones, the word 'natural' is used to refer to the structure of the hormone molecule, not its source. With this in mind, then, synthetic estrogen is really horse estrogen, not human; and medoxyprogesterone acetate (MPA) is a progestin and certainly not human progesterone. These are then biochemically converted to molecules identical to human hormones and are proving to be much safer."

Dr Wright (1996, p.23) also reinforces the belief that Natural Progesterone protects against cancer, heart disease and osteoporosis. Women who replace estrogen also need to replace progesterone. This theory is obvious to anyone that has studied human reproductive physiology, because estrogen and progesterone are closely linked in the normal menstrual cycle. Each month, as estrogen levels rise, progesterone levels fall, and vice versa. Unfortunately, this was not so obvious to physicians and pharmaceutical companies initially. As a result, tens of thousands of women developed endometrial cancer as a result of taking Premarin, with no form of progesterone.

Synthetic progestins are not the same thing as human progesterone, a distinction that few people draw due to the promotional abilities of pharmaceutical companies. Natural Progesterone, which comes from the same source as natural estrogens, is structurally and functionally identical to the progesterone the body produces. Replacing missing progesterone with natural progesterone puts back the same hormone the body is used to. As a result, when used properly, natural progesterone affords the same protection against endometrial cancer as synthetic progestins, but does not interfere with estrogen's ability to protect against Cardiovascular Disease (CVD). As Dr Wright identifies in his study and what is widely recognized, Natural Progesterone protects against cancer, heart disease and osteoporosis [Wright JR, NATURAL HORMONE REPLACEMENT 1996; p.23].

Synthetic HRT vs. Natural HRT

A most difficult decision confronted women for many years: suffer the symptoms of menopause, or take synthetic HRT and be at risk of dangerous side effects. For most women, the symptoms include hot flashes, depression and mood swings, dry skin, sleeping disorders, as well as an increased risk of heart disease and osteoporosis.

Until recently, the only question has been: HRT, Yes or No?

To answer yes, the patient increases their risk of breast, cervical and endometrial cancer, headaches, fluid retention, and weight gain. To answer no, patients would suffer often debilitating symptoms, with no relief. How could any woman be expected to make this decision?

Synthetic HRT - How close is it to your own hormone make-up?

Estrogen is often mistaken as a single hormone. The word "estrogen" is actually a collective term for a group of different but related hormones that perform the functions regularly attributed to estrogen. The three main hormones comprising "estrogen" are estrone, estradiol and estriol. The following table draws a comparison between human estrogen and Premarin, and demonstrates the foreign nature of synthetic HRT.

Estrogen Component	Human Estrogen	Premarin
Estriol	60-80%	6-15%
Estrone	10-20%	75-80%
Estradiol	10-20%	5-19%

Many doctors and patients are under the incorrect impression that any HRT derived from nature is natural. An example is Premarin. A breakdown of the name demonstrates from where this synthetic estrogen is derived:

PRE (pregnant) + MAR (mares) + IN (urine)

However, natural actually refers to the biochemical nature of the molecule relative to the human body. Conventional, synthetic hormones are unnatural and foreign to the body. Premarin, for example, is conjugated from pregnant horses' urine, and mismatches the human hormone. Many women who find out Premarin's original source are horrified, and devastated to learn its harmful side effects.

Below is a diagram comparing Natural HRT, and its Synthetic counter-part.