Both women and men!
Every cell in your body has estrogen, progesterone and testosterone receptors. As we age, these three hormones decline. In fact, we may age as a result of our hormones levels decreasing.
For women, hormones begin to decline in the perimenopausal period starting as early as age 35. When symptoms start to occur, replacement with organic bioidentical hormones can make a big difference. The evidence suggests that replacement early in menopause is best but balanced hormone replacement can improve life at any age.
The research literature shows that balanced bioidentical hormones are associated with no increase in the risk of cancer, heart disease, and excess clotting when compared to untreated women.
In the Women’s Health Initiative study that was published in the first part of this century, it was shown that the synthetic progestin medroxyprogesterone acetate (the patented drug company substitute for progesterone) was the causative factor that lead to the 27% increase in breast cancer rate. There was no increase in cancer from estrogen alone or estrogen and bioidentical progesterone.
The real causes of cancer are complex and multifactorial. The risks of developing cancer stem from issues of nutrition, exercise habits, toxins, stress, chronic inflammation, and immune dysfunction.
It takes 10-15 years for a cancer to grow to a detectable lump. Supplemental hormones can potentially speed the growth of a cancer that is already there, but the evidence shows that balanced bioidentical hormones do not cause new cancers.
In fact, there is evidence in the literature that balanced bioidentical hormone replacement can be cancer-protective. The “final answers” about risk are not in yet. More research on bioidentical hormones and hormone dosage regimens needs to be done.
If you or someone you know is perimenopausal or menopausal or having symptoms that may be related to hormone imbalance, you may be a candidate for bioidentical hormones. Please call Great Lakes Vital Health.