Need
for Natural Hormone Replacement Therapy
(HRT)
by Dr. Loretta Lanphier, ND, CN HHP
You must be wondering with all of the hype about hormones, “Why do we need
HRT in the first place?” In this article I address this concern with some
straightforward information about natural HRT...
Our Hormones
Hormonal imbalance is a term that has become popular to describe an incorrect
relationship that exists between levels of progesterone and estrogen.
Progesterone is a needed hormone for both menopausal women and andropausal men
for many reasons. It’s a steroid hormone made by the ovary at ovulation,
and in smaller amounts by the adrenal glands. Progesterone is manufactured in
the body from the steroid hormone pregnenolone, and is a precursor to most of
the other steroid hormones, including cortisol, androstenedione, the estrogens
and testosterone. When levels of progesterone are low, it needs to be replaced.
Its most important role is to balance or oppose the effects of estrogen.
Unopposed estrogen creates a strong risk for breast cancer and reproductive cancers.
Estrogen levels drop at menopause but only 40-60%, which is just enough to stop
the menstrual cycle. Progesterone levels may drop to near zero in some women.
Because progesterone is the precursor to so many other steroid hormones, its
use can greatly enhance overall hormone balance after menopause. Progesterone
also stimulates bone building and thus helps protect against osteoporosis.
PMS Factor
During the 10 to 15 years before menopause, many women regularly have cycles
where they make enough estrogen to create menstruation, but they don't make any
progesterone. This sets the stage for estrogen dominance. By using natural progesterone
during these months, symptoms of PMS can be helped.
We also know that PMS can occur despite normal progesterone levels when stress
is present. Stress overtaxes the adrenals. It increases cortisol production;
cortisol blocks (or competes for) progesterone receptors. Additional progesterone
is required in this case to overcome this blockade, and additional stress management
is important, such as proper nutrition, exercise, and lifestyle. Similar scenarios
apply to men as well.
Other Factors
Other major factors that stresses our bodies and subsequently our hormones, are
environmental chemicals in our food, water and air--heavy metals, herbicides,
pesticides, plastics and many other poisons—that mimic estrogen once they
enter our body. In just one example of this type of poisoning, it has been reported
on several news programs (CBS, The Discovery Channel and others) that the common
tin can is inadvertently supplying us with unwanted estrogen-like hormones. This
is a result of a chemical reaction over a period of time between the tin and
the plastic inner lining of the can. Unwanted cumulative chemical additions,
such as this, are believed to have dire consequences within our bodies.
It’s clear that our bodies can get overloaded with estrogen without even
trying. The other bad news is that our overloaded bodies may not have the ability
to breakdown estrogen. The liver generally removes excess estrogen. Diseases
of the liver like cirrhosis or decreased enzyme activity can lead to increased
estrogen levels. Vitamin B6 and magnesium are necessary for the liver to neutralize
estrogen. Increased sugar intake will also excrete magnesium and interfere with
its ability to breakdown estrogen. Estrogen supplementation by prescription is
clearly not needed, and will increase estrogen levels unless it is properly balanced
with natural progesterone.
With all of these factors, it’s easy to conclude most women and men are
on estrogen overload.
Symptoms of Estrogen Overload
When estrogen overload symptoms occur, doctors usually offer either synthetic
HRT or birth control pills. What is needed instead is natural progesterone for
both hormonal balance and relief of symptoms, in both women and men, such as:
• Depression
• Decreased libido
• Fibrocystic breasts
• Food and sugar cravings
• Uterine fibroids
• Irregular or excessive uterine bleeding
• Endometriosis
• PMS
• Infertility
• Weight gain
• Increased blood clotting
• Thyroid dysfunction
When dysfunctions are extremely painful or debilitating, women are told that
their health is more important than their reproductive organs, and that a hysterectomy
would be the best thing. In most cases, women can choose natural HRT to solve
these problems. Natural HRT can take care of the risks of:
• Ovarian cancer
• Breast cancer
• Osteoporosis
An imbalance occurs in nearly every instance where physicians prescribe synthetic
hormones. This is because traditional HRT adds to the already existing high levels
of estrogen in our bodies. By adding synthetic hormones, traditional HRT, which
directly interfere with the normal function of our endocrine system, our body
is fooled. It thinks the estrogens are real estrogens. Our bodies act as if there
is estrogen excess in the system, resulting in an increased hormonal imbalance.
Hormone Test
At Oasis Advanced Wellness a simple saliva hormonal level test
kit can be purchased and used in the comfort of your home. With these results
and your symptoms, you
can determine your need for natural HRT.
You can find out more about the solutions in my eBook, Balancing
Your Hormones
Without Drugs…You Can Feel Good Again.
Loretta Lanphier, ND, CN, HHP is a Doctor of Naturopath, Clinical Nutritionist
and Holistic Health Practitioner in the Houston, TX area and CEO/President of
Oasis Advanced Wellness. A teacher, educator and author, she counsels Oasis Advanced
Wellness clients on the aspects of getting the body healthy and keeping the body
healthy. As a cancer survivor, she is able to relate extensively, both as a patient
and a practitioner, to clients suffering from disease. Dr. Lanphier has been
privileged to share her cancer survival story with hundreds of people during
seminars and lectures. Her passionate style of truth and straight-forwardnessin
an easy-to-understand format is very refreshing to even the most discerning of
audiences. Dr. Lanphier is the author of two books and many articles on health
conditions written from a natural/alternative medicine viewpoint. Dr. Lanphier
is dedicated to helping people create lasting changes in their health and enhancing
well-being through whole body nutritional balancing including physician strength
supplementation. Dr. Lanphier is Editor and contributor to the worldwide newsletter Alternative
Health & Healing.