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Natural Hormone Replacement: BEWARE! (Update) |
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Written by Dr. Edward Zimmer
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Every time I see or hear Suzanne Somers tell women in a blanket manner that they are missing the boat if they do not take natural hormones (also known as bio-identical hormones), I give my little stress squeezy toy a workout! I will tell you right from the start that I am not against using hormone replacement with certain patients. There are definitely patients for which this therapy is appropriate. The problem is that if you listen to Suzanne Somers and the countless medical doctors who support the use of natural hormone replacement therapy you cannot help but to think that it is completely safe and the cure-all for menopausal symptoms. One of my patients told me that a medical doctor she consulted told her that the only women who should not be on hormone replacement are those who do not want to feel great! Nothing could be farther from the truth!
The idea that something is natural and thus good for you is a dangerous misconception when it comes to hormone replacement. Let me tell you exactly why.
First, there are exactly ZERO studies showing that slathering your body with unnatural amounts of natural hormones is safe. In fact, the studies suggest something much more concerning. The scientific literature supports the concern that higher amounts of estrogens in a woman’s body increases her risks for cancer and heart disease. Recent studies tested the most natural of hormones, the ones actually made by the woman’s body. Women who naturally make higher levels of estrogens have higher risks of cancer, heart disease and stroke depending upon how their body breaks down their estrogens. The bottom line is that no one knowledgeable about natural/bio-identical hormones can tell you they are safe. In fact, the available literature is suggesting the opposite.
My next point of contention with the natural/bio-identical hormone band wagon is that dosing a woman with the appropriate amount of any hormone is close to impossible. Women who rub hormone creams on their skin absorb these hormones at different rates. Since these hormones are fat soluble they saturate local fat tissue which then greatly complicates the control of dosing these hormones. For a great example, read my article on Progesterone Cream Dangers. On top of this there is concern that the way these hormones are metabolized (broken down) is different from when they are actually produced naturally by your body, which could cause unknown imbalances.
The interesting thing is that all of the major doctors like Diane Schwartzbein, M.D. and self-anointed experts like Susan Sommers agree that women should be tested on a regular basis to make sure they are receiving the right amount of hormones. I find this interesting because it shows that they fully understand that creating imbalances in hormones is not a good idea. But, their recommendation to get tested is completely ludicrous. The reasons are many but one is that although they tell women to get tested on a regular basis, it almost NEVER happens. I have numerous patients who have been on hormone replacement and cannot even tell you the last time their levels were tested. Doctors are way too busy to keep up with timely testing and the evaluation of those tests. Patients do not want to submit for testing and do not want to pay for the expensive testing on a regular basis. So, although the experts agree that testing is of the utmost importance it does not occur in real life. Another complicating factor is that it is impossible to determine what the “normal” amount of these hormones should be for your unique bag of chemistry in the first place. Thus, the only thing that anyone can say with confidence is that they will most likely create a hormone imbalance in the person they give natural/bio-identical hormones.
On top of all of this, I would like you to think about something else. Every single woman in the world experiences a reduction of hormones with age. Not some, but ALL. To me, the notion that God got it wrong and we have to fix his obvious mistake gives me unrest. Please, let that thought sink in for a moment.
So, how can anyone in good conscious give a blanket statement to all women that they should be on natural hormone replacement? The answer is that they ignore or diminish the information they do not like and simply focus on the effectiveness of symptom reductions in their patients. Women shower their doctors initially with praise for helping them feel so good and the doctors make a killing financially. It is a win (praise)-win (money) for the doctor and a very possible win (in the short term)-lose (in the long run) for the patient. But, in 10–15 years when the woman dies of cancer or a heart attack there will be no blame put upon hormone replacement or the doctor who prescribed it in a cavalier manner. Thus, people like Susan Sommers blather on about how great she feels without informing you about the very real dangers.
I want you to understand that I cannot quantify how much you will increase your risk of grave health conditions if you decide to pursue hormone replacement. No one can! The risk for you may indeed be miniscule or it may be significant. I think it is wrong that you only get exposed to the sensationalized benefits of hormone replacement without disclosure of the very real dangers. I want you to understand that you may be robbing Peter to pay Paul when it comes to natural/bio-identical hormone replacement.
If you have specific questions, please do not hesitate to contact me via email.
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