Menopause and Hormone Replacement, By: Hugo Riveria

This section I write in response to a whole bunch of questions that women have asked us about our stand in hormone replacement. After doing some research, we feel that we have come up with an answer to the question. However, before we divulge our stance, let us first discuss why women decide to undergo hormone replacement therapy.

At around age 40, the interaction of a woman's hormones begins to change. Less estrogen and progesterone are produced by the ovaries, something that leads to erratic menstrual cycles and finally to menopause. While the reasons for this are unclear, we do know that menopause causes short-term unpleasant conditions such as hot flashes, headaches, mood swings, as well as increased risk for osteoporosis and heart disease. Lately, a trend has been developing in which women are undergoing hormone replacement therapy (namely synthetic estrogen and progesterone) in order to reduce their chances of heart disease and osteoporosis while at the same time reducing the unpleasant short term side effects caused by reduced production of such hormones.

Based on the research that we have done, however, hormone replacement therapy does not come without risk (no such thing as a free meal). While there are numerous studies that suggest a benefit of reduced chances for osteoporosis and heart disease along with a reduction in hot flashes, mood swings, etc, there are also studies out there suggesting that such therapy may increase the risk of breast cancer. In addition, it seems that women may suffer from a condition in which the synthetic estrogen being supplied to the body begins to overshadow the other hormones in the body thereby creating a hormonal dis-balance (the same thing happens to male athlete when they take steroids; synthetic testosterone). Such a dis-balance leads to side effects. According to Dr. Betty Kamen, author of Hormone Replacement Therapy, Yes or No?, the following is the list of side effects that may arise from estrogen replacement:

1) Abdominal cramps
2) Amenorrhea
3) Bloating
4) Breast tenderness and enlargement
5) Cystitis-like syndromes
6) Elevated blood pressure
7) Endometrial cancer
8) Gallbladder disease
9) Hair loss (where you don't want it)
10)Hair growth (where you don't want it)
11)Hyperlipidemia
12)Jaundice
13)Loss of libido
14)Mental depression
15)Nausea and vomiting
16)Prolonged vaginal bleeding
17)Reduced carbohydrate tolerance
18)Skin rashes
19)Thrombophlebitis
20)Undesirable weight gain
21)Vaginal candidiasis

Remember, the body is like a fine tuned clock and every time that you introduce foreign hormones into the body you will get an effect from it. Now, just like steroid users, there will be people that will get no side effects from the therapy. However, you may be one of those unlucky ones that has a genetic predisposition to cancer and hormone replacement is the trigger that activates it. So having said that, our advice is simple: use natural alternatives to hormone replacement in conjunction with a good diet and training program. Do you know that weight training has been shown to improve bone mass even in elderly women of 70 years of age? In addition, weight training in conjunction with good nutrition and aerobics reduces the risk of heart disease in addition to producing a hormonal environment not conductive to depression. While diet and exercise may not eliminate the hot flashes and headaches, women who remain active have a less tough time with these symptoms than those that are inactive as provided a woman has taken good care of herself during the years prior to menopause with proper diet and exercise, other organs in the system (such as the adrenal glands) are capable of making these hormones, something that allows the body to make healthy adjustments in hormonal balance after menopause. In addition, foods such as soy may help in the control of hot flashes as they are rich in pythoestrogens.

In conclusion, if you are thinking about hormone replacement, consult with your doctor and weigh the positives and the negatives of your decision. I recommend a therapy composed of exercise and a good diet that includes soy based products in lieu of hormone replacement as it appears that such therapy may provide the same benefits of hormone replacement without the negatives.