Bio-identical hormones have been hailed in recent years as a safe and “natural” alternative to HRT.

Many women stopped taking conventional HRT in the aftermath of the Women’s Health Initiative (WHI) trial of combined estrogen and progestin (as Prempro). The trial was stopped early, in 2002, because hormone users had a higher risk of breast cancer, heart disease, stroke, and blood clots.

How natural are they?

Bio-identical hormones come in various forms including a pill, patch, cream, and various vaginal preparations.  They are marketed as being safer than other kinds of HRT for two main reasons.

BHT products are made from plants and are identical in their molecular make up to our hormones estradiol and progesterone. Hence the term ‘bio-identical”

But the term “ natural “ is actually highly misleading.

BHT products are in fact highly manufactured and synthesised in a laboratory, by pharmaceutical companies.. All bio-identical products have been altered to make them similar to human hormones and chemicals added.

The long-term effect

I have some serious misgivings about going for the bio-identical hormones. These products have not been through any long term testing. How do we know what the effects of using these hormones are?

It is also very tricky to actually monitor what is going on with them. They are identical to the hormones produced by a woman’s body. How do we know how much is being absorbed? What is the correct dosage? 

Going against the body

From a homeopathic perspective, we are always aiming to work with the body rather than against it.

Adding oestrogen back into the body, even if it is identical on a molecular level is not the way our bodies are meant to work.

It is going agains the natural process of oestrogen declining in menopause. Having excess oestrogen in the body puts you at greater risk of breast, uterine and endometrial cancer. It also affects your thyroid, and increases chances of blood clots and strokes.

Put quite simply by Dr Andrew Neville in his article on the link between menopause and adrenal health. Read later. 

“A 50-year old woman should not have the hormones of a 20-year old woman. It’s just not the way it should function, and we will see repercussions of this .. down the line”

What is natural?

Perhaps there are some medical cases in which these hormones might be of value. But for most women, I really don’t think it’s the way to go.

There are just too many questions marks for me.

Homeopathy stimulates our own healing capabilities. It works by re-balancing our hormones and helping our bodies find their own equilibrium. Homeopathy helps us go through peri-menopause, a natural life transition for a woman, with greater ease.

Surely this is a much more natural approach?

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