Bioidentical hormones have not been shown to cause cancer. Often the benefits outweigh the risks.
No wonder doctors and patients are confused. It is not their fault! Many physicians are taught that all hormones are bad and unsafe, when the most up-to-date research states the correct form of hormones matter.
Bioidentical vs. Synthetic Hormone Replacement
Bioidentical hormones are derived from plants and are more likely to act like the body’s natural hormones. Bioidentical hormones are made by a compounding pharmacy and are not patented. Synthetic hormones are chemically or synthetically made by a pharmaceutical company for the sole purpose of being patented. Synthetic hormones are not like our natural hormones. Synthetic forms often contain metabolites of hormones that are reabsorbed in the gastrointestinal tract and can cause carcinogenic effects in the body. For example, Premarin is a synthetic estrogen that comes from horse urine. It contains 10 different metabolites, none of which are the active form of estradiol.
The dangers of using synthetic hormones were highlighted in 2002 in the Women’s Health Initiative (WHI) study. This study showed that using synthetic progestin (progesterone-like) Provera and combination Prempro (synthetic progestin and synthetic estrogen) increased the risk for blood clots, heart attacks, strokes and cancer. The estrogen-only group had less cancer risk than the progestin/estrogen combo and the placebo arm of the study, where there were women on no hormones. So, no hormone replacement has risk for developing breast cancer more than the Premarin group, even though it is a synthetic estrogen.
Bioidentical hormones Micronized Progesterone and estradiol are safer than synthetic. Estradiol is not synthetic estrogen and progesterone is not synthetic progestin. That is where many doctors get confused because many studies interchange estrogen as Premarin, not estradiol, the bioidentical hormone, and progesterone as progestin, not micronized bioidentical progesterone.
As a consequence of the WHI study, there was a dramatic 79% decline in utilization of all hormone therapy. The study did not consider differences in action and risk associated with other forms and routes of administration of hormones, the age of the participants or pre-existing conditions. It also omitted testosterone as a component of hormone optimization.
This study was great at showing that synthetic oral hormones are harmful! However, this study was skewed in that it blanketed all hormone replacement therapy as increasing risk. This is not the truth, as the researchers did not study bioidentical hormones. There are many randomized controlled studies showing that estradiol, testosterone and progesterone bioidentical hormones decrease the risk for Alzheimer’s, osteoporosis, cardiovascular disease, obesity/insulin resistance, and that they improve sexual health and well-being.
Normal vs. Optimal Hormones
I often hear from many of my patients who are experiencing symptoms of hormone imbalance that they feel like they are going out of their mind. They don’t know the cause of their issues, and their current doctors are not well-versed in hormone optimization, so they don’t know how to help them.
A patient not feeling good or not feeling like their normal self seeks help from their traditional primary care doctor. They get blood work taken and all the results come back “normal.” That is fine and dandy. But the patient is fatigued, has low libido, low mood and is not sleeping well. The next step is for the doctor to give the patient an antidepressant and send them on their way. The patient chalks it up as, “Well, this must be aging” or “I must be crazy.”
Why does this happen so frequently? Many physicians do not understand hormone optimization and therefore often give the patient their own opinion regarding hormones. They may also give the patient false information because they don’t know any better or were taught the old ways in medical school. Unfortunately, the patient suffers and often walks away feeling more confused about their overall health. With any luck, the patient gets frustrated and seeks the insight of a hormone specialist.
When I see a patient who has been through this experience, they feel such relief that they are not crazy and what they are experiencing is, in fact, hormone-related and can be treated. Their hormones can be brought to optimal ranges. What I mean by optimal ranges is this: hormone levels in blood that are at the higher end of normal or even outside the normal range. Normal results are not optimal results.
What can you do if you would like to have the benefits of hormone optimization but your doctor says no?
Seek out a hormone specialist who optimizes your hormones for the benefits of reducing age-related diseases. Not all doctors are well-versed in the up-to-date evidence-based research on the effectiveness and myths of bioidentical HRT.
Ask questions. Ask your doctor why they oppose it. If there is a good medical reason, like being recently diagnosed with cancer, then HRT may not be an option as you are going through treatments. Bioidentical hormones have not been shown to cause cancer. Often the benefits outweigh the risks.
Educate yourself and be the best advocate for your health.
Get your hormones tested by a hormone specialist, unless you are prepared to hear that all levels are “normal.”
It is normal for hormone levels to decline with aging, but when optimized you can often prevent or slow the progression of age-related diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular disease, dementia, recurrent UTIs, diabetes and high cholesterol. It is essential to take the right kind of HRT – bioidentical, the best delivery method and dose to help you reach a therapeutic range that is optimal that will help you feel better and live a happier and healthy life. Don’t let the media and doctors’ misinformation deter you from seeking the benefits of bioidentical HRT. There are many evidence-based research articles available that prove the safety and validity of the correct form of hormone replacement. FBN
By Christina Kovalik
Dr. Christina Kovalik NMD, LAc, The Vitality Doctor, is a naturopathic physician and acupuncturist specializing in hormone optimization, optimal health and vitality. She is a new Flagstaff resident, practicing since 2004, and opened her second location in Doney Park in 2020. For more information, visit thevitalitydoctor.com or call 928-863-6086.