As featured in Suzanne Somers book, The Sexy Years, bio-identical hormones have become a household word. Still, there is a tremendous amount of misinformation circulating about Natural Hormone Replacement (NRT). The Women’s Health Initiative study published in the April 2004 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association revealed a significant increased risk of stroke with “Premarin only”. Because of this study, there have been some incorrect conclusions on hormones. Informed consumers should understand that Premarin is an oral estrogen that is derived from horses and is not bio-identical to human estrogen. Synthetic hormones like Premarin, (a synthetic estrogen) and Provera, (a synthetic progesterone) increase a protein called “CRP” (C-reactive Protein).
Increased CRP is associated with an increased risk of stroke, heart attack, breast cancer, blood clots and dementia amongst other problems. Bio-identical estrogen such as estradiol cream applied on the skin does not increase CRP. Many practitioners also believe that by using individualized doses of bio-identical estrogen and progesterone the risk of unwanted complications and side effects are mitigated and may be abolished entirely.