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Hormone Replacement Therapy: Estrogen, Progesterone, Hormone Imbalance, Biodentical And Side Effects
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Published: December 4, 2007
Although menopause is described as a perfectly normal part of a woman's life, it is also a time of physical, mental, and emotional upheaval. The onset of menopause is categorized by the inability to menstruate and have children, which is biologically a part of every woman's life. Menopause is a condition that significantly alters the balance of estrogen and progesterone hormones. Ovaries produce less estrogen and progesterone, the key hormones for menstruating and reproduction, during the beginning stages of menopause, causing a hormone imbalance. When there is a hormone imbalance in the body, physical symptoms persist—sometimes severely. Women experience decreased sexual activity, sleeplessness, vaginal dryness, mood swings, and the often mentioned hot flashes as a result. All of these symptoms signal a hormone imbalance that can be treated medicinally. Although menopause is not considered an illness that can be specifically treated, hormone replacement therapy is a standard treatment for some of its symptoms.
Menopausal women are quite familiar with the term hormone replacement therapy because it is one of the most effective medical treatments for symptoms of menopause. Hormone replacement therapy is primarily a set of drugs that replenishes estrogen and progesterone to the body synthetically. Hormone replacement therapy is also used to strengthen transsexuals' sex traits before or after a sex change. Hormone replacement therapy is alternatively called estrogen replacement therapy or HRT. There are also different forms of receiving hormone replacement therapy: pills, patches, and vaginal cream.
In recent years, the medical field has been volleying about the options available with hormone replacement therapy. These options deal with taking synthetic versions of hormones that are sold by pharmaceutical companies or taking biodentical hormones.
Biodentical hormones are molecularly structured identically to the hormones the body naturally makes. Television icon Suzanne Somers is an advocate of biodentical hormones. She has authored two books, Ageless and The Sexy Years, which promote how beneficial the hormones were in her experience with menopause. Somers has vowed to remain on the natural hormones for the rest of her life.
The argument that women like Somers make is that natural hormones are essentially better for their bodies. As with any medical treatment, there are side effects. Synthetic hormones have distinctive risks of increased cases of heart disease, breast cancer, stroke, dementia, and blood clots; natural hormones allegedly minimize side effects. Some of the documented benefits of synthetic hormone replacement therapy are a decreased risk of osteoporosis-related injuries and a lower risk of colorectal cancer. However, synthetic hormone replacement therapy is a stronger version of treatment.
Women to Women is an online magazine that believes biodentical hormones are a better choice for treatment. Natural hormone replacement therapy can be individually catered to a women's particular case; synthetic hormone replacement therapy covers a multitude of symptoms, which is not always the case with menopause. Synthetic hormone replacement therapy has been a successful reliever of hot flashes, which many women find advantageous. The choice between natural or synthetic hormone replacement therapy is just that—a matter of choice.
Every case of menopause is special; every case is unique. Women should listen to their own body when it comes to any form of medical treatment. In some cases, menopause shows no symptoms while others experience intolerable changes. Hormone replacement therapy, whether natural or synthetic is beneficial; there are also risks and side effects. Menopause is an important milestone for women, and it should be handled with care and personal understanding. Knowledge is the only way to reach and bypass this milestone gracefully.
Sources:
"Hormone Replacement Therapy." Medline Plus. 30 Nov. 2007. 30 Nov. 2007. http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/hormonereplacem enttherapy.html.
Pick, Marcelle. "Hormone Replacement Therapy." Women to Women. 2007. 30 Nov. 2007. http://www.womentowomen.com/bioidentical-hrt/bioid enticalhormones.aspx.
"Women's Health. Hormone Replacement Therapy: Benefits and Alternatives." Mayo Clinic. 5 May 2006. 30 Nov. 2007. http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/hormone-therapy/W O00046.
"Women's Health. Menopause." Mayo Clinic. 23 July 2007. 30 Nov. 2007. http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/menopause/DS00119 /DSECTION=8
Menopausal women are quite familiar with the term hormone replacement therapy because it is one of the most effective medical treatments for symptoms of menopause. Hormone replacement therapy is primarily a set of drugs that replenishes estrogen and progesterone to the body synthetically. Hormone replacement therapy is also used to strengthen transsexuals' sex traits before or after a sex change. Hormone replacement therapy is alternatively called estrogen replacement therapy or HRT. There are also different forms of receiving hormone replacement therapy: pills, patches, and vaginal cream.
In recent years, the medical field has been volleying about the options available with hormone replacement therapy. These options deal with taking synthetic versions of hormones that are sold by pharmaceutical companies or taking biodentical hormones.
Biodentical hormones are molecularly structured identically to the hormones the body naturally makes. Television icon Suzanne Somers is an advocate of biodentical hormones. She has authored two books, Ageless and The Sexy Years, which promote how beneficial the hormones were in her experience with menopause. Somers has vowed to remain on the natural hormones for the rest of her life.
The argument that women like Somers make is that natural hormones are essentially better for their bodies. As with any medical treatment, there are side effects. Synthetic hormones have distinctive risks of increased cases of heart disease, breast cancer, stroke, dementia, and blood clots; natural hormones allegedly minimize side effects. Some of the documented benefits of synthetic hormone replacement therapy are a decreased risk of osteoporosis-related injuries and a lower risk of colorectal cancer. However, synthetic hormone replacement therapy is a stronger version of treatment.
Women to Women is an online magazine that believes biodentical hormones are a better choice for treatment. Natural hormone replacement therapy can be individually catered to a women's particular case; synthetic hormone replacement therapy covers a multitude of symptoms, which is not always the case with menopause. Synthetic hormone replacement therapy has been a successful reliever of hot flashes, which many women find advantageous. The choice between natural or synthetic hormone replacement therapy is just that—a matter of choice.
Every case of menopause is special; every case is unique. Women should listen to their own body when it comes to any form of medical treatment. In some cases, menopause shows no symptoms while others experience intolerable changes. Hormone replacement therapy, whether natural or synthetic is beneficial; there are also risks and side effects. Menopause is an important milestone for women, and it should be handled with care and personal understanding. Knowledge is the only way to reach and bypass this milestone gracefully.
Sources:
"Hormone Replacement Therapy." Medline Plus. 30 Nov. 2007. 30 Nov. 2007. http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/hormonereplacem enttherapy.html.
Pick, Marcelle. "Hormone Replacement Therapy." Women to Women. 2007. 30 Nov. 2007. http://www.womentowomen.com/bioidentical-hrt/bioid enticalhormones.aspx.
"Women's Health. Hormone Replacement Therapy: Benefits and Alternatives." Mayo Clinic. 5 May 2006. 30 Nov. 2007. http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/hormone-therapy/W O00046.
"Women's Health. Menopause." Mayo Clinic. 23 July 2007. 30 Nov. 2007. http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/menopause/DS00119 /DSECTION=8
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