Bioidentical Hormones

Counterfeit hormones have been shown to cause cancer. The term “hormone” should not be allowed to describe these synthetic chemicals which do not match the structure of your body’s own natural hormones. The Women’s Health Initiative Study showed that counterfeit hormones sold by drug companies resulted in an increased risk of breast cancer. If you are considering such counterfeit hormones as Prempro® , Premarin® , or Provera® , it is imperative that you read about the findings of the Women’s Health Initiative.

In 1993, The Women’s Health Initiative began enrolling postmenopausal women for a nationwide, long-term study of the benefits and risks of conventional hormone replacement therapy using Prempro® , a combination of Premarin®  and Provera® . The study was scheduled to last 8 1/ 2 years, however it was ended abruptly due to the increased risk of breast cancer in women using Prempro®, which is not a bioidentical hormone.

Premarin® and Provera® also increase your risk for heart disease. The Women’s Health Initiative was halted 3 years early because women using Prempro®  had an increased risk of breast cancer, heart disease, stroke, and pulmonary embolism compared to women who were given a placebo.

It is important to note that Prempro® which was used in the Women’s Health Initiative study, is a counterfeit hormone and not a bioidentical hormone, and does not match the molecular structure of your body’s own natural progesterone and estrogen hormones. Because form defines function and counterfeit hormones do not match your natural hormones’ structure, they do not function in your body the way that your natural hormones do. This is what creates health problems and why you should not take counterfeit hormones. This is the difference between bioidentical hormones and artificial hormone mimics such as Prempro® . Bioidentical hormones are created to be identical to the molecular structure of your body’s own progesterone and estrogen hormonesand because their structure is the same, they function in your body the same way as natural progesterone.

People who say that bioidentical hormone therapy causes cancer are usually misconstruing the results of the Women’s Health Initiatives’ finding about counterfeit hormones. On the contrary, findings from the 1981 John Hopkin’s study showed that women with low levels of progesterone had an 80% greater incidence of breast cancer than those with adequate levels of progesterone. Women in the low progesterone group also had a tenfold increase in all malignant cancers. In summary, adequate levels of natural progesterone actually may protect you from cancer. In contrast to the side effects of counterfeit hormones, bioidentical hormone therapy has side benefits.