BHRT for Women
Prior to 2002, it was common for women to commence hormone replacement therapy (HRT) as they approached menopause. In 2002, headlines around the world proclaimed that the Women’s Health Initiative, a research trial to assess the safety of HRT, had been stopped early due to concern for increased cardiovascular and breast cancer risks. This unexpected result triggered most women and their physicians, out of fear, to discontinue HRT. Numerous experts have since concluded that the poorly designed and poorly interpreted WHI trial has led to the greatest medical harm for women in all of medical history.
The WHI trial studied two synthetic hormones - Premarin and Provera. Premarin is a synthetic estrogen derived from the urine of pregnant horses and Provera is a synthetic progestin. These molecules are foreign to humans and are pro-inflammatory. These synthetic hormones are the cause of the slight increase in blood clots, cardiovascular events and breast cancers seen in the WHI. The conclusion published by the WHI researchers was that all hormone replacement therapy is associated with these harms and that for most women, the risks of HRT are not worth the benefits. This belief, since disproven, remains common amongst physicians and patients to this day.
To contrast, numerous well-designed studies using bioidentical human hormones have demonstrated protection against heart attacks, strokes and breast cancer. The bioidentical hormones used in these studies include estradiol as the estrogen and micronized progesterone. These human molecules are not only safe but provide protection against the harms flagged in the WHI. One such study is the Danish Osteoporosis Prevention Study which demonstrated a significantly reduced risk of mortality, heart failure and myocardial infarction without any increased risk of cancer, blood clots or stroke.
To receive a copy of the Danish Osteoporosis Prevention Study publication, along with a discussion paper that reviews the reduction in mortality associated with hormone replacement therapy, simply enter your email address at the bottom of this page. You will receive these articles immediately in your email inbox.
Dr. Andrew Huberman and Dr. Sara Gottfried engage in an excellent discussion on HRT in the YouTube video below. The whole discussion is 2 hours in length and well worth a listen. However, to save you some time, the link below will commence at the most relevant part with respect to HRT.
Estrogen Matters
BHRT is the most effective treatment for menopausal symptoms including hot flashes, night sweats, insomnia, vaginal dryness, heart palpitations, libido, sexual dysfunction, fatigue, anxiety, depression and joint pain. BHRT can reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease by between 30 and 50% and BHRT can reduce the mortality risk of an osteoporotic hip fracture by 50%. Estradiol has also been shown to reduce the risk of dementia. The WHI trial deprived a generation of women from these longevity benefits.
Everyone who starts a BHRT regimen must have a detailed understanding of the path they are embarking on. Misinformation about hormone replacement therapy is everywhere. You may encounter physicians, family members or friends who have convictions that BHRT is dangerous. You must be more informed than them in order to retain the confidence that you are improving your longevity and not harming it. We highly recommend reading Estrogen Matters by Dr. Avrum Bluming and Carol Tavris
For maximum benefit and safety, BHRT must be prescribed by clinicians who have a thorough knowledge of the evidence. All our clinicians have extensive BHRT training through the American Academy of Preventive and Innovative Medicine. In collaboration with your values and preferences, we will design a hormone replacement program that is tailored specifically to you!
Testosterone for Women
"Currently, testosterone is considered a "male hormone," which means that traditional hormone replacement for women does not include it. And while it is true that men must have much higher levels of testosterone in their blood than women do in order to be healthy, many people are surprised to learn that testosterone is just as essential to women's well-being as it is to men's.
This single hormone is the father and mother of all hormones involved in health, reproduction, sexuality, mood, immunity, lean body mass, bone thickness, and mental clarity. Testosterone is important not only for maintaining general health in women but for treating a wide variety of ailments that most doctors ascribe to simple aging. In fact, these symptoms are not the result of simple aging; they are a singular condition that testosterone can in fact reverse completely, helping women recapture the youthfulness and vibrancy of their early 30s.”
From: The Secret Female Hormone by Dr. Kathy Maupin
Our physicians understand fully that testosterone is a female hormone and will prescribe testosterone to our clients as a cornerstone of a fully balanced hormone prescription. Prior to perimenopause, women normally have functional testosterone levels that are three times as high as estrogen. Testosterone is the first female hormone to decline as a woman approaches perimenopause. There is no hormone balance without testosterone!
Take all the time you need to do your research and become informed about the benefits of bioidentical hormone replacement therapy. There are several resources identified above on this page and the video below is another excellent overview from Dr. Neal Rouzier of the Academy of Preventive and Innovative Medicine.
We also recommend exploring the additional educational resources found here:
Patient Resources at the Academy of Preventive and Innovative Medicine.
Once you have reviewed the above and are ready to enhance your vitality and healthspan through hormone therapy, take the next step and learn more about how the BestLife program works: