Topics of Interest  >  Menopause NATURAL HORMONE REPLACEMENT THERAPY Natural "bio-identical" hormones differ from medical hormone replacement because they are molecularly identical to our own estrogen and progesterone that we produce in our bodies. They are produced from wild yam and soybean. What happens when we take drugs that are not bio- identical? We often experience side effects because of metabolites which are formed in our bodies when we ingest them. When taking the natural hormones we need to adjust dosages, so that we are taking the least amount of hormone to do the job. We know we are taking too much when we get side effects such as bloating, breast tenderness, or breakthrough bleeding. There are natural sources of progesterone and estrogen, which are on the market now. They are available as a pill, transdermal cream and vaginal cream. For many women, natural bio-identical progesterone alone (made from Mexican wild yam root) can help with all menopausal type symptoms, including PMS, insomnia, fibrocystic breasts and osteoporosis. Natural bio-identical estrogen (made from soy, wild yam root and licorice) can be prescribed for women who don't get enough improvement with the progesterone alone, especially for hot flashes and vaginal thinning or atrophy. Some women are trying pregnenalone and DHEA as adjunct therapies, for such symptoms as memory loss, arthritis, fatigue, weight gain, low sex drive and bone loss. A blood or saliva test can be done to determine if you are low in any of these important hormones. Many of these products are available in health food stores or you can get them from your alternative medicine provider. Stronger dosages of estrogen and progesterone need to be prescribed by your doctor or nurse practitioner. Estriol is the mildest type of estrogen produced by the body and is used more commonly in Europe. It is made from wild yam root and cannot be patented, so is not marketed commercially to doctors here in the U.S. It is a weaker and safer source of estrogen than estradiol, and is reported to help shrink estrogen dependent tumors and protect against cancer. It is an option that should be considered for women who have had cancer and want to avoid estrogen, but are having severe symptoms of estrogen depletion. Estriol can help maintain your current bone levels and has a mild protective effect for the heart. Another variation on this theme, and somewhat stronger, is a formula called Bi-estrogen. This contains 80% estriol, and 20% estradiol. (Tri-estrogen is a very similar formula, which contains 80% estriol, 10% estrone, and 10% estradiol). Because of the added estradiol, it is a better choice for women who have more menopausal symptoms and need to build up their bone density. Testosterone cream can be taken in addition for low sex drive, weak bones and muscles. A blood or saliva test will indicate hormone levels, and help you decide if supplementation is necessary. Your doctor or nurse practitioner can order these products for you from a compounding pharmacy in your local area. Diet is an extremely important factor in having a healthy menopause. The list of foods and herbs that contain hormone precursors is very long. These substances reduce the impact on the body of lowered estrogen and progesterone production by the ovaries. However, when we highly process our food (adding salt and losing potassium content), when we eat a diet rich in animal protein and fat, it reduces our body's supply of sex hormones. Other factors to be aware of in order to optimize our health and the strength of our bones include the following: avoid cigarettes, avoid losing too much body fat, reduce alcohol, caffeine, red meat and soft drinks, increase intake of leafy green vegetables, low fat yogurt, whole grains, vegetables, fruits and legumes, avoid the use of cortisone, diuretics, anti-convulsant drugs and anti-acids, engage in weight-bearing exercises, at least 30 minutes 4 times per week, and supplement your diet with calcium/magnesium complex, vitamin/mineral complex, Vitamins E,B,C,A and Evening Primrose, flax seed or fish oil for their essential fatty acids.

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