Bioidentical Hormones Side Effects

Bioidenticals have grown in popularity due to the horrific findings related to HRT (hormone replacement therapy). It has been five years since the Women's Health Initiative Estrogen plus Progestin (WHI) arm of this in vivo trial was stopped early due to the alarming number of test subjects who had begun to develop various types of heart disease and cancer.

Convincingly, the WHI showed the opposite to be true. Instead of simply relieving hot flashes and night sweats Provera (estrogen plus progestin) caused heart disease, breast cancer, as well as blood clots and strokes. Simply put, this compound not only did not add to the quality of life, it threatened it as well.

With proof positive that Provera (along with other drugs of its ilk) are harmful, why are women still taking them? There are many reasons for this antiquated thinking and a reluctance to stop taking something that could be so potentially hazardous to one's health. Even though conclusive proof exists that perimenopause and menopause are a natural phenomenon, many still consider menopause as a disease and as something that should be treated. Additionally, the large pharmaceutical companies even now push HRT and bioidenticas as the most appropriate choices, even though there are extensive elevated risks associated with these treatment plans.

Pharmaceutical companies only fund laboratory concocted drugs which can be patented. While more natural hot flash and night sweat remedies may be available, research funds for these curatives is severely lacking.

Recently, well-known celebrities have begun to endorse "bioidenticals", going so far as to launch a movie extolling the virtues of bioidenticals. Contrary to what we might have heard, bioidenticals are not a safe and effective alternative to HRT.

The Mayo Clinic is one of the few "not for profit" hospitals and research facilities in the country. They don't worry about what large commercial pharmaceutical companies think, nor are they concerned about the statements made by scientists working for research firms owned by these big conglomerates.

When asked if bioidenticals were safer and more effective than traditional hormone replacement therapy, Mary Gallenberg gynecologist, obstetrician, and research fellow at the Mayo Clinic answered: "No, they aren't."

Conversely, and according to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and several medical specialty groups, bioidentical hormones may be riskier than standard hormone replacement therapy (HRT), and there's no evidence they're any more effective.

Coincidentally, The Mayo Clinic (in trials run in 2007) investigated the merits of flaxseed in effectively controlling common symptoms associated with perimenopause and menopause, with promising results.