Some American girls are developing breasts as young as age seven, researchers have found. Although there’s no conclusive evidence as to what is causing girls to develop early signs of puberty, environmental exposure to estrogens and chemicals that mimic estrogen are among the key factors suspected. The early onset of puberty may lead to obesity, hormone imbalances and cancer.

A new study, published in the August 9, 2010, online issue of the journal Pediatrics, looked at more than 1,200 girls age six to eight examined between 2004 and 2006, in New York, Ohio and California. It compared the age when the girls showed early signs of puberty with the results of a similar study from 13 years ago.

Over that time period, the age at which girls began showing early signs of puberty decreased significantly among all races:

Among 7 year-olds, about 10.4% of white girls, 23.4% of black girls and almost 15% Hispanic girls had started developing breasts.

Among eight-year-olds, 18.3%of white girls, nearly 43% of black girls and just under 31% of Hispanic girls showed evidence of breast development.

The rate has about doubled since 1977, when 5.0% of 7 year-old white girls showed signs of breast develoopment and 15.4% of black girls. No comparison data was available for Hispanic girls.

“The proportion of girls who had breast development at ages seven and eight years, particularly among white girls, is greater than that reported from studies of girls who were born 10 to 30 years earlier,” the study’s authors concluded.

Lead author Dr. Frank Biro of Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, and his co-authors explained that the stage of development in which a girl’s breasts begin to “bud” is considered the onset of puberty, not her first menstrual cycle.

The average age of the first period has declined as well, says Nickel. “Girls used to get their first menstrual period at 14 or 15,” she says, but now the average is closer to 12.

Previous research on puberty, specifically the menstrual cycle, has indicated that girls who start menstruating at age 11 or younger have an increased life-long risk of breast cancer.

Suspected Cause: Environmental Exposure to Estrogens

The researchers have no conclusive evidence about what could be causing girls to develop teenage bodies earlier. They postulated that obesity could be a factor since girls who developed breasts early tended to have a higher body-mass index than those who didn’t.

New research shows that chemicals in plastics may lead to obesity, early puberty, endocrine disruption and cancer.

Chemicals in Plastics mimic Estrogen

Dr. Frank Biro of Cincinnati Children’s Hospital said no matter where they are found, pollutants that mimic the female hormone estrogen might also be contributing to early puberty. Whether these pollutants are found in the food that they’ve eaten, products used for personal care, or even products used at their homes they are all contributing factors.

Estrogenic Compounds in Plastics Linked to Cancer

Chemicals in the environment – most notably bisphenol-A (BPA), and Polythylene Terephthalate (PETE), are found in many plastic bottles widely used for water, sodas, fruit juices, sports drinks, ketchup, mayonnaise, peanut butter, vinegar and just about every other food you can think of.

These estrogenic chemicals leach into the bottles’ contents and they have now been linked to the disruption of both male and female hormones and may be a significant reason for the early onset of puberty and the dramatic increase in PMS, uterine fibroids, endometriosis and breast and ovarian cancer.

Researchers at the University of Missouri found that one bottled water brand spurred a 78% increase in the growth of the breast cancer cells compared to the control sample, with 1,200 initial breast cancer cells multiplying to 32,000 in 4 days, versus only 18,000 for the control sample.

This study indicates that chemical contaminants in the bottled water sample stimulated accelerated division of cancer cells. When estrogen-blocking chemicals were added, the effect was inhibited, showing that the cancer-spurring chemicals mimic estrogen, a hormone linked to breast cancer.

While the specific chemical(s) responsible for this cancer cell proliferation were not identified in this pilot study, ingestion of endocrine-disrupting and cancer-promoting chemicals from plastics is considered to be a potentially important health concern (Naidenko O, Leiba N, Sharp R, Houlihan J. 2008. Bottled water quality investigation. Ref.: http://www.ewg.org/reports/bottledwater).

A growing body of research links PETE from plastics with a variety of adverse outcomes, including increased body fat and insulin resistance (Grün and Blumberg 2009), decreased anogenital distance in male infants (Swan et al. 2005), decreased levels of sex hormones (Pan et al. 2006), and other consequences for the human reproductive system, both for females and males (reviewed by Hauser and Calafat 2005). Infants and children may be especially vulnerable to the toxic effects of PETE (Sathyanarayana 2008).

All of this indicates that early onset of puberty and childhood obesity may be the result of environmental exposure to plastics during early childhood or from prenatal exposure during pregnancy.

Estrogens also found in Dairy products and Beef

The synthetic drug 17-beta-Estradiol is fed to beef cows in the U.S. to make them put on more weight so they can get them to market sooner and sell them for more money.

Estradiol is also concentrated in milk due to modern dairy farming techniques designed to boost milk production, including feeding cows hormones and milking pregnant cows until very late in their pregnancy.

Unfortunately, the trade-off we suffer is a higher rate of Estrogen induced disease, including cancer, which is not recognized or at least not admitted by the Dairy and Beef Industry.

Dr. Hansen’s Rx

To protect yourself and your family here’s what Dr. Hansen recommends:

1. Avoid environmental estrogen exposure wherever possible.

Eliminate or reduce exposure to plastics, especially PETE (Recyclable #1) and BP-A (Recyclable # 7).

Make your own at home or look for products that come in glass jars, e.g. Apple Juice, Spaghetti Sauce, Water, etc.

If you use bottled water, make sure not to store your bottles in your hot garage. Heating plastic bottles will greatly increase the amount of estrogenic chemicals that leach into the water or soda, etc.

Eat beef and dairy sparingly and eat only organic beef and dairy products (hormone and antibiotic free) when you do eat them.

2. Eat Brassica family vegetables (broccoli, cabbage and cauliflower) often. They contain Indole-3-carbinol, which activates rapid clearing of estrogens out of the body.

3. Test your hormones, especially if you have any symptoms of Endocrine Disruption, including PMS, Irregular Menstrual Cycles, Heavy Periods, Endometriosis, Uterine Fibroids, Hot Flashes, Osteopenia, Osteoporosis, etc.

4. Take natural bio-identical progesterone to counteract the harmful effects of the environmental exposure to estrogens. Progesterone activates Tumor Suppressor Protein. Breast cancer cells do not multiply when women have a sufficient supply of progesterone. Progesterone likewise also prevents cancer of the ovaries and uterus as well as the lungs.

To learn more about Natural Bio-Identical Progesterone, click here.

To learn more about how PETE plastics may affect your health, click here.

On March 8, 2010, ABC News reported that “Osteoporosis Drugs, Like Fosamax May Increase Risk of Broken Bones in Some Women” and that “Long-term Use of Popular Class of Osteoporosis Drugs May Have Opposite Effect for Some Women.” (click here to watch the ABC video)

Fosamax and Boniva are the two most popular drugs in this class of drugs called bisphosphonates. They are supposed to make bones stronger, but now there’s mounting evidence that, for some women, taking these medications for more than five years could cause spontaneous fractures.

“We are seeing people just walking, walking down the steps, patients who are doing low-energy exercise,” said Dr. Kenneth Egol, professor of orthopedic surgery at NYU Langone Medical Center. “Very unusual, the femur is one of the strongest bones in the body.”

This entire class of drugs should be withdrawn from the market, says Dr. Hansen. On January 1, 2009, the New England Journal of Medicine published a report from the FDA, which says that the Osteoporosis drug Fosamax may now be linked to cancer. The FDA received 23 reports of esophageal cancer possibly linked to the drug between its October 1995 debut and May 2008. Of these patients, eight have died so far, according to the report. This is worrisome news for the tens of millions of American women that currently take Fosamax for Osteoporosis.

Good News! There are safe and effective Natural Alternatives to drugs like Fosama & Boniva

Osteoporosis affects approximately 25 million Americans. Women know they need to do something to prevent Osteoporosis, but they don’t know what. They are trusting their doctors and the drug companies to give them something to help. Most doctors know nothing about prevention through diet, nutrition and exercise. So by the time the average woman is diagnosed with Osteoporosis, 50 to 75% of her original bone mass has already been lost. Women need answers. Why is Osteoporosis so prevalent in the U.S., while it is almost unheard of in some cultures? What can a woman do to change her risk of getting this common disease without taking risky drugs?

Officials estimate that there are about 1.5 million fractures annually among osteoporosis patients and 300,000 of them die within six months of getting a fracture. Medical costs for osteoporosis treatment exceed $17 billion dollars annually in the U.S. and because of the increasing elderly population, the number is only expected to rise. The incidence of these bone fractures has doubled in the last 30 years, due mainly to nutritional and environmental factors.

Conventional medicine views osteoporosis as an irreversible process associated with aging and menopause rather than diet and lifestyle choices. The emphasis has been placed on slowing down the rate of bone loss by prescribing synthetic drugs that block bone loss, as well as high doses of calcium, increased amounts of dairy and regular exercise. While these therapies do slow the rate of bone loss in some, they do not stimulate bone rebuilding. The best they can do is to keep the already porous bones from losing any more bone density.

The good news is that Osteoporosis is preventable and reversible through diet, exercise, nutritional supplementation and natural bio-identical hormone replacement with plant based Estriol and Progesterone, and natural Growth Hormone precursors.

Dietary Treatment and Prevention of Osteoporosis

Observations of various populations worldwide show that the countries with the highest consumption of meat and dairy products have the highest incidence of Osteoporosis. Because of this observation, scientists posed this question: Is osteoporosis due to calcium deficiency or excess protein, or acid pH caused by too much protein and dairy?

A study published in the journal Nutrition in 1974, found that eating a low protein diet led to a positive calcium deposit of +31, while a high protein diet led to a calcium loss of -120. This means that at the end of the day, after taking 500 mg of calcium, the low protein diet group was shown to have increased its calcium level by +31. On the other hand, taking 500 mg of calcium while eating a high protein diet actually lowered the level of calcium in the bloodstream by -120.

Epidemiological studies from around the world have shown that in countries like Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, etc, where the people generally eat no dairy at all and less than 50 grams of protein daily and get about 400 mg of calcium per day in their diet, have no osteoporosis; it’s virtually unheard of in those countries. However, if you look on the other extreme, Eskimos who daily consume about 2200 mg of calcium, have the highest incidence of osteoporosis of any population in the world, even though they’re getting 2200 mg of calcium daily. The difference is that they also daily consume 250 to 400 grams of protein in fish, walrus, or whale meats. That high protein content and the acid pH that results are the principal causes of osteoporosis. It’s not simply a deficiency of calcium. It’s the excessive amount of protein that stimulates a hormonal change in the body that causes the body to excrete calcium through the kidneys in the urine.

The average American consumes as much as 100 grams of protein per day and that amount stimulates the parathyroid gland to release a hormone called parathormone that pulls calcium out of the bones to be excreted in the urine. The most important consideration in the prevention of Osteoporosis is not overdoing protein. This can be accomplished by following the Department of Agriculture’s new food pyramid guide. Start at the bottom: eat 6-11 servings of whole grains, 3-5 servings of fresh, steamed, or microwaved vegetables, and 2-3 servings of fresh fruits daily. Meats and dairy should be eaten sparingly in smaller portions than the former foods that are lower in the pyramid. For optimal health you only need a maximum of 40-50 grams of protein daily.

Minerals and Vitamin Cofactors

Calcium is the major mineral in bones. However, you can get too much of a good thing. If you’re eating a high protein diet, even 2200 mg of calcium a day won’t help you. Too much calcium inhibits magnesium, which is essential to the production of the hormone calcitonin. This hormone helps tone down the calcium excretion and keeps calcium in the bones. Magnesium is also essential for the conversion of the active form of vitamin D, which is required for calcium absorption and its deposit into bone. Taking too much calcium actually blocks magnesium and therefore blocks the production of vitamin D in its active form, which prevents calcium from getting into the bone. Calcium should not be taken in excessive amounts.

There are several other nutrients that are very important in prevention and cure of osteoporosis. Three B-vitamins, vitamin B₆, folic acid, and vitamin B₁₂ are essential. These three vitamins are important in the conversion of the amino acid methionine into cysteine. If they are deficient, homocysteine increases. As homocysteine increases in the body it interferes with collagen cross-linking, leading to defective bone matrix. That means, if you don’t have these vitamins, then the bones can’t hold calcium in place in their normal meshwork. Therefore, even though you may be consuming enough calcium, it won’t be held in the bone.

Another vitamin that is often overlooked in the prevention and treatment of osteoporosis is vitamin K. This hormone-like vitamin is necessary for the production of the active form of osteocalcin which is the major noncollagen protein in the bone. Without sufficient vitamin K and its production of active osteocalcin, calcium will not be held within the bone in its place. Vitamin K is found in deep green leafy vegetables and is one of the most commonly deficient vitamins missing from our diet.

The trace mineral Boron also appears to be an essential factor in the prevention and treatment of osteoporosis. A study of postmenopausal women given 3 mg of boron daily was shown to reduce their urinary calcium loss by 44%. Apparently, boron is required to activate certain hormones including estrogen and vitamin D. Fruits and vegetables are the main sources of boron and diets that are deficient in these foods may also be deficient in boron.

Plant Cofactors

Certain bioflavonoids found in fruits have been shown to be very important in the prevention of osteoporosis. Certain polyphenol bioflavonoids, especially those extracted from grape seeds, have been shown to stabilize collagen structures. Since collagen is the major protein constituent in bone, stabilization of the integrity of the bone structure or the collagen will help to prevent calcium loss and osteoporosis. For optimal insurance against osteoporosis, I recommend taking a supplement that contains Leucoslect® Grape Seed Extract.

Drug Therapies

In July 2002, researchers at the National Institutes of Health abruptly halted the nation’s largest study on Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT), because the study found that the long-term use of synthetic estrogen and synthetic progesterone drugs increase a women’s risk of breast cancer by 26%, her risk of a heart attack by 29%, her risk of stroke by 41% and her risk of blood clots by 113%. (Source: JAMA. 2002;288:321-333).

Several other drugs are now being recommended for Osteoporosis, including the Biphosphanate drugs that include Fosamax, Boniva and Actonel. Tens of millions of women are currently taking Fosamax for Osteoporosis and millions of additional women take Boniva and Actonel, all of which share the same concern.

Evista, a Selective Estrogen Receptor Modulator (SERM) is also being recommended to prevent and treat Osteoporosis. Evista is approved for the prevention and treatment of osteoporosis, but works by a different mechanism than the Biphosphanates. Evista stimulates the Estrogen Receptors and appears to prevent bone loss in a manner similar to other synthetic estrogens, like Premarin. Side effects include hot flashes, leg cramps and blood clots.

Natural Bio-Identical Hormone Replacement

The ovaries produce three different Estrogens: Estrone (E1), Estradiol (E2) and Estriol (E3). The two most concentrated and most potent estrogens are Estrone (E1) and Estradiol (E2). These two are both now classified as carcinogens. You should test your estrogen levels to make certain these two are not too high. Even “Bio-Identical” Hormone Replacement Therapy that uses Estradiol or Estrone can and does cause cancer if it gets to high.

Dr. Hansen’s Natural Hormone Rx: Estriol, Progesterone and Growth Hormone

Estriol (E3) has been shown to be protective against cancer. It prevents bone loss, stops hot flashes, thinning of the skin and dryness of the vaginal membranes. It is 1000 times less stimulating to the breast tissue than Estradiol and does not cause harmful build-up of the uterine lining. Estriol inhibits osteoclasts in bone from breaking down and causing bone loss.

Unlike the estrogens, which only help prevent bone loss, taking natural Progesterone helps to increases bone mineral density by as much as 10-15% within 6 months and 20-25% in 3 years (Clinical Nutrition Review, 1990, 10:384-391). Progesterone stimulates osteoblasts in the bone to directly increase bone density.

Growth Hormone (GH) is necessary throughout life to keep your bone density high. GH has direct effects on bone cells known as chondrocytes. A deficiency of GH severely limits bone growth and hence the accumulation of bone mass. You can stimulate you own GH activity by exercising and by getting plenty of sleep. Additionally,

Dr. Hansen prescribes a plant based source of Estriol and Progesterone for the prevention and treatment of Osteoporosis. He also prescribes a nutritional and herbal supplement known as Secretropin to boost GH production by the body. These natural products are safe and effective alternatives to synthetic drugs, providing all of the benefits and more, without the negative side-effects.

Testing

DEXA Scan X-Ray

The top standard for measuring bone density is the DEXA Scan, which is an X-Ray of the spine and the hip bone. The measurements taken can be compared to the average for the total population and by age group. The main concern with this test is the fact that it exposes you to gamma radiation that is known to be cancer inducing. For this reason I prefer to recommend an NTX Urine Test for bone density.

N-Telopeptide (NTX) Bone Loss Testing

Approximately 90% of the meshwork or your bones consists of type I collagen that is cross-linked at the N-terminal, hence the name N-Telopeptide. This highly cross-linked collagen structure provides for the basic fabric and tensile strength of bone tissue. The collagen infrastructure of bone undergoes a continuous process of remodeling that involves osteoclast mediated bone breakdown and osteoblast mediated bone formation. Bone breakdown by osteoclasts results in the release of cross-linked N-telopeptides (NTX)of type I collagen. NTX is specific to bone and is found in urine as a stable end product of bone loss.

Levels of NTX correlate with the rate of bone loss. Bone loss rates exceeding bone formation results in a net loss of bone and ultimately osteopenia or osteoporosis. This test is the best way to detct active bone loss or bone building. It is relatively inexpensive compared to the DEXA Scan and free of radiation.

Hormone Testing

All three Estrogens can be measured in Saliva, which gives an accurate assessment of the active forms of the estrogens. Progesterone is also tested in the Saliva. The Estrogen to Progesterone ratio gives a good picture of the relative balance of these two synergistic hormones. Too much Estradiol and Estrone or too little Estriol can cause an increased risk of cancer. Too little Progesterone will inhibit the production of new bone.

Growth Hormone is tested by blood. Because GH is released in short pulsatile bursts in the bloodstream and has a very short lifespan in the blood it is not a good marker for GH activity. Instead, we use IGF-1 to assess the correct level of GH. Ideally, IGF-1 level should be 200-250.

Vitamin D3 (25-Hydroxycalciferol) should be tested in the blood serum. Many experts recommend that the optimal Vitamin D3 level for prevention of osteoporosis and protection against cancers is 50-65 ng/ml.

Recommended Bone Building Supplement: Peak Advantage High Potency Multi-Vita/Min

• Calcium Citrate: Calcium is the major mineral in bones. Calcium Citrate is 2.5 times better absorbed than Calcium Carbonate, even in individuals with low stomach acid. The U.S. RDA for calcium is based on 1968 data using Calcium Carbonate as the standard. According to more recent research published in The Journal of Clinical Pharmacology in November 1999, by Howard J. Heller, MD and his colleagues found that Calcium Citrate is 2.5 times more bioavailable (easier for your body to use) than Calcium Carbonate as demonstrated by measuring the blood level of calcium after a single oral dose (500 mg) of calcium carbonate taken with a meal.

The RDA used to be 800mg of Calcium Carbonate daily for women, which would be equivalent to only mg 320mg of Calcium Citrate. Adequate intake (AI) recommendations published in August 1997 were set at 1000 milligrams for men and women aged 19 - 50 and 1200 milligrams for individuals older than age 50. To get the equivalent benefit from Calcium Citrate you only need to consume 400 to 480mg of Calcium Citrate respectively.

• Magnesium Aspartate: Magnesium is the determining factor of bone strength. 80-85% American women consume less than the RDA. Necessary for the formation of new calcium crystals and the active form of Vitamin D. Magnesium Aspartate is the most useable form.

• Boron: Necessary for the production of natural estrogen and testosterone. Significantly reduces loss of calcium and magnesium.

• Vitamin K: Required for the attraction of calcium to bones. Individuals with Osteoporosis have been found to have 35% less Vitamin K than age matched controls. Overuse of antibiotics kills healthful intestinal flora that produce Vitamin K. Supplementation reduces calcium loss by as much as 18-50%.

• Vitamin D increases calcium absorption, slows bone loss and boosts bone formation. One study on Vitamin D showed that participants who took vitamin D supplements had a 7 percent lower risk of death compared to those that did not. It is now known that virtually every cell in our body has receptors for vitamin D and that vitamin D is not just a vitamin. It also has very powerful hormonal activities and has protective effects noted against certain cancers (particularly breast and prostate), autoimmune diseases like multiple sclerosis and type 1 diabetes, and heart disease. I recommend taking 5000 I.U.s once or twice daily. This is a quantity sufficient to raise your blood level of Vitamin D3 to between 60-100 ng/dl.

• Folic Acid: Decreases homocysteine levels which can cause osteoporosis. Alcohol and Birth Control Pills cause a deficiency. Pregnancy creates a higher demand.

• Silica: Found in high concentrations at calcification sites in growing bones.

• Betaine HCl: Source of hydrochloric acid that is essential for the absorption and assimilation of minerals.

• DigeZyme: Plant enzymes that digests phytates, found in grains that commonly bind to minerals and significantly reduce their availability for absorption.

• GSE Ultra 110: Leucoselect® Grape Seed Extract to stabilize collagen.

Summary

Osteoporosis is preventable and it is reversible. You can take charge of your own health. For optimal results you need to eat more vegetables and grains and less meat and dairy products. The greatest threat to your bones is the high protein diet consumed in the United States. The average American consumes 90 grams of protein daily. You need to cut that amount in half. Additionally, you need a good multi-vitamin and mineral formula, like Peak Advantage that provides the right amount of minerals, vitamins and plant cofactors to prevent or reverse osteoporosis. Finally, you need to test your Estradiol, Estrone, Estriol, Progesterone and IGF-1 levels. With this information you can then correct the hormone imbalances and prevent or reverse Osteoporosis for good.

Related Article:Bio-Identical Hormones: Are They Right for You?

The word hormone comes from Greek, meaning “to set in motion.” Hormones are made by your endocrine glands, including the adrenals, thyroid, liver, pancreas, pituitary, pineal gland and genitals. Hormones direct and coordinate many of the most import functions of the body.

As we age the ability of our bodies to produce adequate amounts of hormones diminishes rapidly. Deficiencies of any one of the hormones can lead to significant symptoms of ill health that are often thought of as normal signs of aging. However, mounting research is showing that restoring hormone levels to more youthful levels can reverse many of the signs of aging and restore the strength, energy, flexibility, vitality, mood, immunity and cognitive function of your prime.

The Hormone Solution

In his landmark book, The Hormone Solution, which I recommend you purchase and read from cover to cover, Dr. Thierry Hertoghe, M.D., a fourth generation endocrinologist from Belgium, writes,

“Your body contains more than one hundred different types of hormones, and they pour into your bloodstream at the rate of thousands of billions of units per day. Hormones regulate your heartbeat and your breathing. Hormones make men men and women women. Hormones put you to sleep at night and wake you up in the morning. They control your blood pressure. They build bone, maintain muscle tone, and lubricate joints. Hormones govern growth. They make the body produce energy and heat. Hormones burn fat. Hormones govern the menstrual cycle and allow pregnancy (and birth) to occur. They fight stress, prevent fatigue, calm anxiety, and relieve depression. Hormones make and keep memories. Hormones control your sex drive, virility, and fertility. They stimulate your brain and your immune system. It is by no means an exaggeration to say that hormones are crucial to very single function of the human body.

You can’ live without them

“But in the environment we live in at the opening of this new millennium—and particularly as we ourselves age—rarely do our bodies have the optimum levels of hormones. So we don’t enjoy optimum health, whether that means arthritis or heart disease or flagging sex drive or gray hair and wrinkles or out-of-control weight gain. The program in this book, a combination of nutrition and hormone balance, can bring anyone into optimal health. The Hormone Solution is not a miracle cure or an empty promise. It is a reality. It is for anyone who feels tired all the time. Or forgets things. Or isn’t sleeping well. Or feels more depressed and anxious than he used to. Or who is at risk for osteoporosis or cancer—among many, many other things. We’ve accepted these things as inevitable, especially as we age. We didn’t like it, but we thought we had to live with it. But we’ve been wrong.

“You probably know that some hormone levels decline with age. What’s less well known is that almost all hormone levels drop, across the board, in men as well as women. Your endocrine glands cannot maintain the same production of hormones they did in your younger days. And that loss is the most crucial—and eminently correctable—underlying process that causes the signs and symptoms of aging as well as a host of other health concerns. With the proper physiological doses of natural hormones in combination with a hormonally supportive diet and vitamin and mineral supplements, you can retain your health—and your youth—more fully and for a longer time. I am not recommending the massive pharmaceutical quantities of the standard hormone prescriptions, like menopausal replace therapy (HRT), but rather the finely tuned individualized substances that are identical in structure and quantity to what young, healthy body’s produce.

“When all our hormones are at optimal levels, our bodies are healthy, efficient, resilient, flexible, and strong.”

Restore Your Hormones: Restore Your Strength, Vitality and Longevity

Optimal levels of hormones provide a veritable fountain of youth. Nature designed hormones to work synergisticly to keep your body strong, active and beautiful. The major cause of deficient hormone levels is the aging of the endocrine glands that occurs due to the increasing stress and toxic load of our modern lifestyle. Without help your glands will simply wear out and wither away. They will become overwhelmed with toxic waste and oxidative damage and no longer be able to keep up with the stress of life. The cells of the glands will die faster than they can be repaired. The good news is that you can change the course of your own aging process. You can test your hormones, find out which hormones are deficient and replenish or replace them. You can take natural supplements to repair and rebuild your glands and restore the hormone levels back to level of a health 30-35 year old. The fountain of youth is within you.

Testing Your Hormones

Where do you start to figure out what’s causing what? Here’s what I recommend. Start by examining your symptoms. By taking a comprehensive assessment of your symptoms you can narrow in on the cause of your problems.

Once you know which hormones are most likely to be causing your symptoms, then you can test them specifically to determine where you stand compared to the optimal range. Some hormones can only be tested through a blood test, some can be tested by blood or by a saliva sample.

Saliva hormone testing has the advantage of being less invasive (no blood draw required), less expensive and sometimes more accurate because hormones in the saliva are often found in their free, unbound state, which gives a truer picture of their functional status.

What Hormones Should Be Tested

Adrenal Cortisol

DHEA

Estrogens

Estrone (E1)

Estradiol (E2)

Estriol (E3)

Growth Hormone (IGF-1)

Insulin

Pregnenolone

Progesterone

Total Testosterone

SHBG (Sex Hormone Binding Globlin)

Thyroid

Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH)

T3, free

T4, free

Vitamin D3 (25-Hydroxy-D3)

Adrenal Cortisol

Cortisol (also known as Hydrocortisone) is produced by the adrenal glands. It is released with adrenaline during times of stress. Cortisol raises blood sugar levels, promotes the metabolism of proteins and the breakdown of fats to provide strength and energy, makes your heart beat faster and increases your blood pressure. A deficiency will cause you to feel unable to cope with stress, wiped out and lightheaded, mentally dull and depressed, anxious, pessimistic and defeated, confused and distracted, or paralyzed by stress.

DHEA (De-hydro-epi-androsterone)
DHEA is the most abundant steroid in the body. It is produced by the adrenal glands and is converted by the body into Progesterone, Testosterone, and the Estrogens, Estradiol and Estrone. Adequate DHEA levels give the body the building blocks necessary to produce all of these hormones. It strengthens muscles, keeps mucous membranes soft and moist, stimulates immunity, boosts energy levels, reduces anxiety and depression, improves mood, increases libido in women, enhances memory, and helps the body fight cancer, diabetes, and heart disease. A deficiency causes tiredness, decreased libido and an increased risk of cancer and autoimmune diseases.

Estrogen
Estrogen makes a woman feminine. It creates the soft contours of a woman’s breasts, hips and pelvis that prepare her for childbirth. Estrogen keeps the skin smooth and free of wrinkles. It prevents excess hair growth, and keeps the vaginal membranes moist. It enhances sexual desire, increases physical endurance, prevents osteoporosis and promotes a happy enthusiastic mood.

As a woman ages, however, her ovarian function begins to decline, leading to a decline in the production of the estrogens. A deficiency of estrogen will cause the thinning of your skin due to a decreased production of collagen, which will lead to wrinkles around the eyes and mouth. With decreased estrogen your breasts will shrink and sag, you’ll lose some of your feminine shape and your vaginal mucous membranes will become thin and dry. A deficiency of estrogen can also cause you to lose muscle and make you feel tired, irritable and depressed all day long. And last but not least, the declining hormones lead to vasomotor instability that cause the hot flashes, disrupted sleep, irritability and depression associated with menopause.

Synthetic Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT)

Drug manufacturers have been making synthetic estrogen drugs for more than 50 years to combat these changes. However, in July 2002, researchers at the National Institutes of Health abruptly halted the nation’s largest study on HRT, because the study found that the long-term use of synthetic estrogen and synthetic progesterone drugs increase a women’s risk of breast cancer by 26%, her risk of a heart attack by 29%, her risk of stroke by 41% and her risk of blood clots by 113%. (Source: JAMA. 2002;288:321-333).

“Bio-Identical” Hormone Replacement Therapy

The ovaries produce three different Estrogens: Estrone (E1), Estradiol (E2) and Estriol (E3). The two most concentrated and most potent estrogens are Estrone (E1) and Estradiol (E2). They are the hormones that stimulate cell growth of the uterine lining and breast tissue associated with preparation for pregnancy. Because they stimulate cell growth they can also stimulate cancer cell growth. Both Estrone and Estradiol are now classified as carcinogens. You should test your estrogen levels to make certain these two are not too high. Even “Bio-Identical” Hormone Replacement Therapy that uses Estradiol or Estrone can and does cause cancer if it gets to high, or if it is not balanced correctly with the appropriate amount of Estriol (E3) and Progesterone. I recommend that you avoid Estrone and Estradiol completely and make certain you have enough Progesterone, which protects against cancer and builds healthy bones.

Dr. Hansen’s Rx: Use Estriol Only NOT Estradiol or Estrone!

To protect against cancer nature designed the body to produce the third estrogen, known as Estriol (E3), which has been shown to be protective against cancer. A woman’s Estriol level goes way up when she gets pregnant and stays up while she is breast feeding. High levels of this estrogen protect a woman from the harmful effects of the other two estrogens during these periods. This is the reason women who have more children and who breast feed longer have a lower incidence of breast cancer. Estriol has also been shown to not cause the excessive build up of uterine lining that is associated with uterine cancer. In fact, research indicates that low levels of Estriol place you at an increased risk for developing cancer. You should check all of your Estrogen levels periodically to make sure that they are in a healthy balance approximately equal to a ratio of 8:1:1, Estriol to Estrone to Estradiol, respectively.

Growth Hormone

Growth hormone (GH) is secreted by the pituitary gland. It is a very small protein substance that is chemically similar to insulin. It is secreted in short pulses during the first few hours of sleep and after exercise. GH promotes growth of bones, muscles, organs and all other cells throughout life.

Production of GH peaks during adolescence and falls after the age of 21 by about 14% per decade. By age 60 GH production is reduced by one-half. Individuals with higher levels of GH appear more youthful and report greater vitality and stamina.

Growth Hormone is necessary throughout your life to keep your muscles toned and firm, your bone density high and your joints flexible and strong. It protects your kidneys, heart and other organs, as well as your digestive system. It keeps your arteries clear and your mind sharp and calm. It supports the immune system and helps to prevent weight gain in your hip and thighs. As GH decreases your hair becomes thin and limp, your muscles disappear, your skin begins to sag, your lips become thin and your gums recede.

Pregnenolone

Pregnenolone is known as the “Mother Hormone” because it is manufactured in the brain and the adrenal glands from cholesterol and then converted in the liver to DHEA and Progesterone (and ultimately other hormones such as Cortisol, Estrogen, and Testosterone). Pregnenolone enhances memory by stimulating concentration and clarifying thinking. It reduces fatigue, fights depression and protects the joints from inflammation and arthritis.

As we age, the body’s natural Pregnenolone levels decrease. A deficiency of Pregnenolone leads to poor memory, depression, and cognitive decline as well as decreasing bone density, lean body mass and muscle strength.

Progesterone
Progesterone is also produced by the ovaries. It has its own unique hormonal functions, but a certain amount is also converted into Testosterone, then into Estrogen. Progesterone increases uterine secretions and stimulates building of new bone. It also helps regulate salt, control blood sugar, modulates nerve function, has a calming effect and promotes a healthy thymus gland, which is part of the immune system. Supplementing natural Progesterone extracted from the wild yam can help maintain these healthful benefits. Provera (the synthetic version of natural progesterone) has some progesterone-like effects, but causes an additional 30 negative side effects that are listed in the Physician’s Desk Reference.

Taking natural Progesterone can increase Bone Mineral Density (BMD) by 10-15% within 6 months and 20-25% in 3 years. Additionally, natural Progesterone protects and preserves the brain and calms nervous system, activates Tumor Suppressor Protein, which suppresses cancer growth, activates DNA repair and initiates programmed cell death of cells overcome by cancer.

Melatonin

Melatonin is produced primarily at night after sunset and facilitates the onset and continuation of normal sleep patterns. Working late in front of a computer, watching television late at night, working night shifts, travel across multiple time zones, stress and aging all cause changes in sleeping patterns that are likely to have adverse effects on Melatonin secretion patterns. Altered patterns or reduced levels of Melatonin secretion cause sleep disturbances, insomnia and fatigue. A deficiency of Melatonin can be found in depression, schizophrenia, amenorrhea, anorexia, and breast cancer.

Sufficient amounts of Melatonin can relax your muscles, relieve tension, reduce stress and anxiety (especially at night), and lower your blood pressure. It calms you and provides a sense of serenity. Supplementing Melatonin can effectively synchronize the sleep-wake cycle. Physiological doses of Melatonin show little or no carry-over sleepiness. Melatonin is also a powerful anti-oxidant and at normal levels provide protection from the oxidative damage of free radicals that may cause cancer.

Testosterone
Testosterone is not just for men. Women have it and need it as well. A deficiency of Testosterone in a woman leads to fatigue, muscle wasting, low sex drive, decreased sexual stimulation, and diminished sense of well-being. Testosterone protects the heart and reduces plaque build up in the arteries. It prevents joint pain and osteoporosis. It builds muscle and reduces fat and cellulite. Testosterone tightens the skin and prevents wrinkles. When a woman’s ovarian function declines in the years before and during natural menopause, so does the amount of Testosterone she produces. Between a woman’s 20s and 40s the amount of Testosterone circulating in her blood declines about 50%. If a woman starts Estrogen Replacement Therapy at menopause, her blood levels of Testosterone drop even further due to a biochemical reaction.

Thyroid

The types and severity of symptoms of hypothyroidism vary between individuals. At the onset of the disease, the symptoms can be vague and develop slowly. They may include weakness, weight gain, cold sensitivity, cold hands and feet, fatigue, dry skin, brittle nails, and thinning, brittle hair. Other early symptoms include muscle achiness, joint pain, and heavy menstrual periods.

If undiagnosed and untreated, later symptoms can include confusion, thick skin, swelling of the arms or legs, slowing of speech, and depression.

Typical hyperthyroid symptoms include anxiety, shaky hands, sweating, diarrhea, difficulty sleeping, increased appetite, tremors, and weight loss. Many symptoms of hyperthyroidism affect the eyes leading to bulging eyes, eye puffiness, light sensitivity, and an intense stare.

Vitamin D

Vitamin D is a steroid hormone that is made from sunlight by the skin, liver and kidneys. Vitamin D3, known as Cholecalciferol, is the form of Vitamin D that is generated in the skin of animals when light is absorbed. Additionally, we get some Vitamin D, known as Ergocalciferol, or Vitamn D2, from egg yolk, fish oil and a number of plants.

The major biologic function of vitamin D is to maintain normal blood levels of calcium and phosphorus. It aids in the absorption of calcium, helping to form and maintain strong bones. It promotes bone mineralization in concert with a number of other vitamins, minerals, and hormones.

Vitamin D deficiency has been linked to an increased susceptibility to colds and flus, osteoporosis, high blood pressure, cancer of the breast, prostate, colon and skin, periodontal disease, multiple sclerosis, chronic pain, depression, peripheral artery disease, Parkinson’s and several autoimmune diseases including type 1 diabetes.

Both men and women produce progesterone throughout their lives. As we age, progesterone levels decrease significantly in both sexes.

A woman’s progesterone begins declining at age 35 and a man’s progesterone begins falling at age 45. The decline of progesterone is associated with mood disorders, anxiety and depression, poor sleep, osteoporosis, breast and uterine cancer, prostate cancer, as well as aging of the brain and nervous system.

To slow the aging process both men and women should test their progesterone levels regularly and take a natural progesterone supplement if their levels get too low. Progesterone is the natural counter balance to the harmful Estrogen known as Estradiol.

Excess Estradiol / Deficient Progesterone

Estradiol is the principal estrogen found in both men and women. A small amount is necessary for optimal function. However, too much Estradiol is associated with causing cancer of the breast, uterus and prostate.

Estradiol is fed to beef cows in the U.S. to make them put on more weight so that they can get them to market sooner and sell for more money. Estradiol is also concentrated in milk due to modern dairy farming techniques designed to boost milk production, including feeding cows hormones and milking pregnant cows until very late in their pregnancy.

Unfortunately, the trade-off we suffer is a higher rate of Estrogen induced disease, including cancer, which is not recognized or at least not admitted by the Dairy and Beef Industry.

Estrogenic Compounds in Plastics Linked to PMS and Cancer

Polyethylene terephthalate (PETE), the main ingredient in the plastic bottles most widely used for water, sodas, fruit juices, sports drinks, ketchup, mayonaise, peanut butter, vinegar and just about every other food you can think of, has been found to leach harmful estrogenic chemicals into the bottles’ contents. Known as phthalates, these chemicals have now been linked to the disruption of both male and female hormones and may be a significant reason for the dramatic increase in PMS, uterine fibroids, endometriosis and cancer.

To learn more about how PETE plastics may affect your health, click here.

Progesterone Deficiency in Women

In women, a deficiency of Progesterone and/or an excess of Estradiol is associated with PMS, uterine fibroids, endometriosis and Osteoporosis, as well as Breast, Ovarian and Uterine Cancer. Progesterone is the natural counter-balance to Estradiol. Progesterone activates Tumor Suppressor Protein (p53) to suppress excessive cell growth that can lead to cancer.

Progesterone and PMS

A deficiency of Progesterone and/or too much Estradiol causes excessive menstrual bleeding and cramping. It also causes PMS moodiness, bloating, acne, and breast tenderness. By raising your progesterone levels you can totally eliminate the symptoms PMS. Here’s how it works.

Progesterone and Mood/Sleep

Progesterone has a calming effect on the nervous system through its action on GABA, the calming neurohormone. Progesterone produces a valium-like effect on the stressed nervous system and creates a healthy EEG sleep pattern in the brain similar to that produced by valium.

Progesterone and Cancer

Progesterone increases the Tumor Suppressor Protein known as p53, the “guardian of the cell” and decreases the cancer activating protein known as bcl-2.

The Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 guards against cellular mutations that can cause cancer in the following ways:

• Activation of DNA repair
• Stops Cell growth when necessary to allow DNA time to repair
• Initiates programmed cell death (apoptosis) when DNA damage is irreparable

Estradiol, on the other hand, does the opposite of progesterone. It causes a decrease in p53 and activates bcl-2, the opposite acting protein that promotes cancer cell growth.

Here’s the take home message: Breast cancer cells do not multiply when women have a sufficient supply of progesterone. Progesterone likewise also prevents cancer of the ovaries and uterus as well as the lungs.

Progesterone in Men

Men make about half as much progesterone as women. However, it is extremely important for men as well as it is for women. Progesterone gets converted into Testosterone. Most men know that the loss of Testosterone is associated with aging and causes decreased libido and erectile dysfunction. It is also associated with prostate cancer.

Progesterone preserves natural stores of Testosterone by preventing it from being converted into Di-Hydro-Testosterone (DHT), which blocks the prostate and causes Benign Prostate Enlargement and it’s bothersome symptoms including frequent urination, hesitancy, feeble urine stream and night-time urination. Too much DHT also blocks the hair follicles and is the principal cause of male pattern baldness.

A deficiency of Testosterone, in men or women, is associated with a loss of muscle mass, joint pains, heart disease and the tendency to put on excess abdominal fat. Taking supplemental natural progesterone can boost your Testosterone level.

Progesterone and Prostate Cancer

Men typically make a very small amount of Estrogen: about 1/10^th the amount of a woman. If however, the ratio of Estrogen to Progesterone gets out of balance, prostate cancer develops for the same reason breast or uterine cancer develops in a woman. Progesterone protects against cancer growth and Estradiol activates cancer cell growth.

Progesterone Protects the Brain and Nervous System

Progesterone also protects and preserves the nervous system. Progesterone and Testosterone work together to prevent neurodegeneration of the central nervous system. Therefore, any age-related decline in progesterone may have a negative impact on brain, memory and nerve function. Additionally, progesterone and the natural, bio-identical estrogen known as Estriol, help reduce age-associated abnormalities of the myelin sheath that covers the nerves. New research indicates that supplementing these natural hormones could help prevent Multiple Sclerosis.

What is the best form and dose of Progesterone?

The most effective form of progesterone is the oral, sub-lingual form. Transdermal progesterone creams are less effective long term. The skin is designed to be a barrier, not to absorb hormones. It works well for a short while, but eventually progesterone applied to the skin gets shunted into fat cells and begins to build up. Eventually this excess progesterone can cause side-effects including moodiness and irritability.

The mucous membranes of the mouth however, were designed for absorption. When progesterone is absorbed in the mouth, it is absorbed and transported through the blood stream directly to the ovaries, uterus and receptors on the pituitary gland, before it is broken down in the stomach or the liver and excreted from the body. I have found this method to be very effective without any excess buildup over time.

The sublingual form is safe to take for extended periods. The usual sublingual dose is 50 to 100 mg of natural progesterone daily depending on the individual. To determine the correct amount that is right for you, I recommend saliva or blood testing before and after one to three months of natural progesterone therapy. Once the correct dose is found, you should make sure you get your progesterone level tested every twelve months to make sure your levels remain in the optimum range.

Oprah Winfrey, Suzanne Somers and Robin McGraw (Dr. Phil’s wife) all rave about how “bio-identical hormones have rescued them from menopause.

On her website, Oprah writes, “After one day on “bioidentical” estrogen, I felt the veil lift. After three days, the sky was bluer, my brain was no longer fuzzy, my memory was sharper. I was literally singing and had a skip in my step.”

Suzanne Somers has been taking them for years. She believes that the supplements keep her young and feeling sexy and are preventing her breast cancer from coming back.

Robin McGraw says, “I feel better than I ever have in my life,” since starting Bio-Identical Hormone therapy.

What are the Symptoms of Hormone Deficiency?

Hormone deficiencies can cause hot flashes, cold chills, night sweats, sleeplessness, fatigue, lethargy, roller-coaster mood swings, anxiety, irritability, depression, tearfulness, apathy, mental fogginess, difficulty concentrating, confusion, memory loss, vaginal dryness, incontinence, light headedness, weight gain, wrinkles, sagging, thinning skin, osteoporosis and more.

Fortunately, women are now learning that they don’t have to suffer with the symptoms of menopause or resort to taking harmful synthetic hormones. There are safe natural hormone alternatives to the Estrogen-Progestin drugs that are not associated with harmful side effects.

What Are Bio-Identical Hormones?

Bio-Identical Hormones are hormones compounded by pharmacists from natural plant extracts. They are virtually identical to the naturally occurring hormones made by the body, including the three estrogens: estrone, estradiol and estriol, as well as progesterone, pregnenolone, testosterone, DHEA and cortisol.

Because they are identical to what the body makes they are not associated with the severe list of side-effects associated with synthetic hormones.

Because Bio-Identical Hormones come from plants they cannot be patented. In essence, God holds the patent to these plants. That is the only reason drug companies don’t make them. Without a patent, there is no market exclusivity and hence no financial incentive to bring the product to market.

What are Synthetic Hormones?

Synthetic hormones, on the other hand, are altered copies of the body’s naturally occurring hormones. They must be altered in order to qualify for a patent. The chemical structure of these drugs must be altered slightly in order to create a unique chemical not found anywhere else on earth so that it can qualify for a patent.

This altered uniqueness is the distinguishing factor that qualifies them for a patent. The unique chemical structure is similar enough to the original hormone to allow a similar action but unfortunately it is dissimilar enough to cause harmful side-effects.

Balance is the Key to Safe & Effective Bio-Identical Hormone Therapy

There are three types of Estrogen in a woman’s body that work together to safely keep a woman in feminine balance, including Estriol (60-80%), Estrone (10-20%), and Estradiol (10-20%).

Estrone and Estradiol stimulate the cell growth necessary for reproduction. However, when found in too high a level they can induce excess cell growth leading to cancer.

Estriol on the other hand has been found to be anti-carcinogenic and to protect the body from the harmful effects of the Estrone and Estradiol. Estriol has been shown to be anti-carcinogenic.

The correct ratio of Estriol to Estrone and Estradiol as found naturally in a healthy woman’s body is 8:1:1. Taking Estrone, or Estradiol, without Estriol will create a hormonal imbalance that can lead to heart disease, strokes, blood clots and cancer.

Is Natural Always Better?

Just because a hormone is natural, or bio-identical to the body’s own hormones, does not necessarily mean it is safe. Wyeth claims that Premarin is natural. It is extracted from pregnant horse’s urine. It is natural for a horse, but not a woman.

Most importantly, the quantity and balance of the natural hormones prescribed determines whether or not the therapy is safe. Many women get cancer of the breast, ovaries, or uterus from an imbalanced or excessive production of their own Estrone and Estradiol production.

Likewise, the prescription of natural hormones can cause harm if not balanced. Natural, Bio-Identical Estradiol should never be given without also giving natural, Bio-Identical Estriol and Progesterone in order to maintain a woman’s healthy balance.

Drug Companies Copied the wrong Estrogens

The drug companies that made the first estrogen drugs copied the wrong estrogens. They copied the two most concentrated estrogens: Estrone and Estradiol.

This made sense from a production standpoint but not from a safety standpoint. Estrone and Estradiol are 1000 times more potent than Estriol. For this reason Estriol was initially thought of as a weak estrogen.

However, nature puts all three estrogens together for a good reason. Estriol protects the body from developing cancer. If your body has enough Estriol it will prevent the other two more potent estrogens from stimulating the breast and uterus where they tend to cause cancer.

The pharmaceutical scientists made a mistake by underestimating the wisdom of nature’s hormone balance and synergy and ignored Estriol because they considered it a weak estrogen.

Are Bio-Identical Hormones Proven Safe?

There are several good studies on the safety and efficacy of bio-identical hormones, including one large-scale study that compared the risks associated with synthetic and bio-identical hormones. However, even bio-identical hormones can be harmful if they are not prescribed to achieve the appropriate 8:1:1 ratio as it exists in healthy women. For this reason I recommend testing before and after dosing to make sure your levels are optimal. Click here for more information on hormone testing.

In 2005 the Fournier Study published in the International Journal of Cancer followed 54,000 women who took bio-identical estrogen and either bio-identical progesterone or progestin. The women taking the bio-identical progesterone had a 10 percent decrease in the risk of breast cancer while the women taking the synthetic progestin had a 40 percent increase in the risk of breast cancer.

A follow-up article published in 2007 in Breast Cancer and Treatment looked at 80,000 women. Women taking bio-identical estrogen and progesterone had no increase in the rate of breast cancer, while those taking an artificial progestin had an increase of 69% in the risk of breast cancer.

The de Lignieres Study published in 2002 in the journal Climacteric concluded that the risk of breast cancer is not increased with bio-identical hormones but is increased with synthetic progestin.

Bio-identical hormones have been used in Europe for almost fifty years. Since bio-identical hormones are available in relatively inexpensive generic forms that can be applied using non-patentable formulations by a compounding pharmacist, American drug companies have no interest in sponsoring studies on the safety and efficacy of bio-identical hormones.

Estriol is the Key Estrogen

Estriol is a mild estrogen that has been used in Europe for 30 years. Its safety and effectiveness are well established. Many doctors in the U.S. who use natural hormones prescribe estriol plus natural progesterone to balance the hormones and stop the symptoms of menopause.

Here’s what the medical literature states about Ovestin, a natural, Bio-Identical Estriol made in Europe: “Ovestin contains the natural hormone Estriol, which is a weak estrogen. Unlike other estrogens, estriol is short-acting since it has only a short retention time in the nuclei of endometrial cells.

Estriol prevents hot flashes, bone loss, thinning of the skin and vaginal membranes yet it is 1000 times less stimulating to the breast tissue than is Estradiol. Not only does it NOT promote breast cancer, but considerable evidence indicates that it may protect against and reverses breast cancer.

According to an unpublished study by Lemon, Foley, and Kessinger, “2.5 to 5 mg and occasionally 15 mg of estriol, equivalent to a little more than 0.625 to 1.25 mg of conjugated estrogens and estradiol) was used, with the informed consent of patients, in postmenopausal women with breast carcinoma and metasiases. Thirty-seven percent receiving this small dosage had remission or arrest of metastatic lesions.”

Estriol does not induce excessive build-up of the endometrial lining of the uterus. Hence it does not cause a risk of uterine cancer or withdrawal bleedings.

In addition to treatment of hot flashes, mood swings, and other common symptoms of menopause, Estriol is particularly effective in the treatment of vaginal and urinary symptoms.

In case of atrophy of the vaginal tissue Estriol induces the normalization of the urogenital epithelium and helps to restore the normal microflora and the physiological pH in the vagina.

As a result, it increases the resistance of the urogenital epithelial cells to infection and inflammation reducing vaginal complaints such as painful intercourse, dryness, itching, vaginal and urinary infections, pain on urination and mild urinary incontinence.

What does Dr. Hansen Prescribe to his Patients for Menopause?

The first thing that I do for my patients with symptoms of menopause is to test their individual hormone levels. Balance is the key to optimal health and vitality.

We need to know the starting level of all of the key hormones including Estrone, Estradiol, and Estriol, as well as Progesterone, Pregnenolone, Testosterone, DHEA, Cortisol and Thyroid.

For moderate or severe symptoms of menopause, I recommend Hormone Augmentation with a combination of natural Bio-Identical Estriol and natural Progesterone determined by the individual hormone testing of each individual patient.
Click here for more information on hormone testing

Natural Progesterone

Taking natural Progesterone helps to prevent uterine cancer and increases Bone Mineral Density by as much as 10-15% within 6 months and 20-25% in 3 years (Clinical Nutrition Review, 1990, 10:384-391). The natural bio-identical hormones are safe and effective alternatives to synthetic drugs, providing all of the benefits and more, without the negatives.

Black Cohosh is an Effective Herbal Remedy for Milder Menopause Symptoms

For mild symptoms of menopause, Dr. Hansen formulated a product that he named Esprogen, which contains five of the best hormone balancing herbs nature has to offer.

The key herb for menopause is known as Black Cohosh (Cimicifuga racemosa). It has been shown to be effective in the treatment of the most aggravating menopausal symptoms, including hot flashes, profuse sweating, sleep disturbances and depressive moods. In a review of eight human studies, it was shown to be a safe, effective alternative to estrogen replacement therapy.

U.S. and European Clinical studies documenting the safety and effectiveness of Black cohosh root extracts for the treatment of menopause are impressive. These studies show good therapeutic efficacy and safety profiles for Black Cohosh root. In addition, clinical and experimental investigations indicate that Black Cohosh root does not show hormone-like activity and may possess anti-cancer activity. (SOURCE: Adv Ther 1998 Jan-Feb;15(1):45-53; Planta Med 1991 Oct;57(5):420-4; J Womens Health 1998 Jun;7(5):525-9, University of Bridgeport, Connecticut, USA)

Synthetic hormone replacement therapy, already linked to increased risk of breast cancer, heart disease stroke, and dementia, nearly doubles a woman’s risk of dying from lung cancer.

This new research, published September 18, 2009, found that there were 83% more deaths in the group using Premarin plus Progestin hormone therapy than the group using the placebo. (Lancet. 2009 Sep 18. Epub ahead of print)

“This is a new, lethal side effect of Estrogen plus Progestin use,” said Dr. Rowan Chlebowski lead author of the study, from the Los Angeles Biomedical Research Institute at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center.

This latest bad news about standard hormone therapy comes on the heels of a study published in February 2009, in the New England Journal of Medicine, that found that women who take Estrogen-Progestin combination hormone therapy for more than five years suffer a doubling of their risk of getting breast cancer and the risk doubles again every year they continue to take the drugs.

In 2004, researchers found that Estrogen-Progestin drugs not only did not prevent Alzheimer’s as was previously thougt, but actually increased the risk of dementia and mental decline by 47%. Thirty-five million Americans now have dementia.

In 2002, the results of the Women’s Health Initiative, reported that Premarin plus synthetic Progesterone increased a women’s risk of breast cancer by 26%, her risk of a heart attack by 29%, her risk of stroke by 41% and her risk of blood clots by 113%.

Collectively, these findings should end the debate as to whether or not the risks of these drugs are worth the benefits.

Why Don’t Doctors or the FDA send out Recall Notices?

Despite previous warnings – increased risks of heart attacks, stroke, invasive breast cancer, pulmonary emboli, blood clots, gall bladder disease and dementia – millions of postmenopausal women still use the combined hormone therapy to fight the symptoms of menoupause.

Dr. Chlebowski says that 25 to 30 million hormone prescriptions are written every year that are probably responsible for half of the 40,000 breast cancers discovered in women every year.

Perhaps women are not seeing the headlines or hearing the news. Perhaps their doctors should be required to send them a RECALL NOTICE, rather than continue to refill their prescriptions.

A new study published in the February 5, 2009, edition of the New England Journal of Medicine, found that women who take Estrogen-Progestin combination hormone therapy for more than five years suffer a doubling of their risk of getting breast cancer and the risk doubles again every additional twelve months they continue to take the drugs. Women are confused. They have been told for years that these drugs were safe and that they would help prevent thinning of their bones and skin, wrinkles, heart attacks, osteoporosis, and possibly even Alzheimer’s Disease. Then they were told the drugs were bad, then good, then bad and finally that the research was irrelevant.

This latest study, however, is the most dramatic evidence we have seen yet to prove the dangers of these still very popular drugs. “This is very strong evidence that estrogen plus progestin causes breast cancer,” said Marcia Stefanick, co-author of the study. Even women who took estrogen and progestin drugs for as little as a couple of years had a significantly greater breast cancer risk. Collectively, these new findings should end the debate as to whether or not the risks of these drugs are worth the benefits. Women must be given safer alternatives.

Women Getting Conflicting Information that Sounds Like Drug Company Propaganda

Unfortunately, many women are still getting conflicting information about their alternatives. Dr. Ginger  Constantine of Wyeth Pharmaceuticals, the maker of the Estrogen-Progestin combination, used in the latest study, has been contending, “There’s still a place for this product.” She noted that lower doses than were used in the government study can bring menopause relief, however, there’s no proof that lower doses would bring fewer side effects.

The president and chief executive officer of the Society for Women’s Health Research, Phyllis Greenberger is another example. She will tell you that she is well aware of the results of the 2002 Women’s Health Initiative, the country’s largest clinical test of hormone therapy, which found that a combination of two of the body’s three estrogens (estrone and estradiol) plus synthetic progesterone, made by Wyeth Pharmaceuticals, increased a women’s risk of breast cancer by 26%, her risk of a heart attack by 29%, her risk of stroke by 41% and her risk of blood clots by 113%. (Source: JAMA. 2002;288:321-333).

But Greenberger has no plans to stop taking the hormone therapy she started more than ten years ago at age 50, although she has reduced the dose. In her case, she said, she doesn’t think the advice is relevant. And she believes the risks of the estrogen-progestin combination have been exaggerated. Why would Ms. Greenberger be so reluctant to give up her hormone therapy? Perhaps its because she knows how bad she felt before taking the hormones; perhaps its because the Society for Women’s health Research, which she heads, receives funding from more than 18 drug companies, including Wyeth, the maker of the Estrogen-Progestin combination that was used in the 2002 and 2009 studies; and maybe its simply because she does not know that there are safe and effective natural hormone alternatives.

What Are Bio-Identical Hormones?

Many women are finding out about natural hormone alternatives. Oprah Winfrey recently had actress and bestselling author Suzanne Somers on her show to discus the positive experiences that they both have had with “bio-identical hormones. Suzanne Somers has been taking them for years. She believes that the supplements keep her young and feeling sexy and are preventing her breast cancer from coming back. Oprah has also recently started taking “bio-identical hormones.” On her website, Oprah writes, “After one day on “bioidentical” estrogen, I felt the veil lift. After three days, the sky was bluer, my brain was no longer fuzzy, my memory was sharper. I was literally singing and had a skip in my step.”

Bio-Identical Hormones are hormones compounded by pharmacists from natural plant extracts. They are virtually identical to the naturally occurring hormones made by the body, including three estrogens: estrone, estradiol and estriol; progesterone and testosterone. Because they are identical to what the body makes they are not associated with the severe list of side-effects associated with the synthetic hormones. Because these natural hormones come from plants they cannot be patented. In essence, God holds the patent.

Synthetic hormones, on the other hand, are copied after the body’s naturally occurring hormones, however, in order to qualify for a patent, the chemical structure of these drugs must be altered slightly to create a unique chemical not found anywhere else on earth. This uniqueness is the distinguishing factor that qualifies them for a patent. This unique chemical structure is similar enough to the original hormone to cause a similar action but it is dissimilar enough to produce a new list of unique and often much more severe side-effects.

Are Bio-Identical Hormones Safe?

There are several good studies on the safety and efficacy of bio-identical hormones, including one large-scale study that compared the risks associated with synthetic and bio-identical hormones. However, even bio-identical hormones can be harmful if they are not combined in the appropriate 8:1:1 ratio as it exists in healthy women, or if given in too high a dose. For this reason I recommend testing before and after dosing to make sure your levels are optimal. Click here for more information on hormone testing.

In 2005 the Fournier Study published in the International Journal of Cancer followed 54,000 women who took bio-identical estrogen and either bio-identical progesterone or progestin. The women taking the bio-identical progesterone had a 10 percent decrease in the risk of breast cancer while the women taking the synthetic progestin had a 40 percent increase in the risk of breast cancer.

A follow-up article published in 2007 in Breast Cancer and Treatment looked at 80,000 women. Women taking bio-identical estrogen and progesterone had no increase in the rate of breast cancer, while those taking an artificial progestin had an increase of 69% in the risk of breast cancer.

The de Lignieres Study published in 2002 in the journal Climacteric concluded that the risk of breast cancer is not increased with bio-identical hormones but is increased with synthetic progestin.

Bio-identical hormones have been used in Europe for almost fifty years. Since bio-identical hormones are available in relatively inexpensive generic forms that can be applied using non-patentable formulations by a compounding pharmacist, American drug companies have no interest in sponsoring studies on the safety and efficacy of bio-identical hormones.

Brief history of hormones

Hormones have been prescribed to treat the symptoms of menopause since the 1930s. By the 1950s a few researchers began to raise warning flags about potential harm of estrogen drugs. Unfortunately, for unknown reasons, the research never got published. Then in the 1960s, the book Feminine Forever claimed that “menopause was completely preventable” and estrogen hormone therapy would keep a woman healthy, happy and beautiful forever. Feminine Forever became a best seller and suddenly everyone either looked the other way or forgot about the health concerns. The book’s author, Robert A. Wilson, traveled the country, extoling the benefits of estrogen therapy and promising women that with it they could remain feminine forever. But soon reporters at The New Republic and The Washington Post disclosed that Dr. Wilson’s lecture tour and work were being supported by a company that manufactured estrogen for hormone treatment.

By this time however, more than half of the 30 million postmenopausal women in the United States were being prescribed estrogen. Then in the mid 1970s two studies linked estrogen drugs to cancer of the uterine lining. This concern was quickly overcome by just published research that showed that adding a synthetic progesterone (progestin) to the estrogen therapy reduced this risk.

In the 1980s, supported by multimillion-dollar advertising campaigns estrogens and progestins soon became the most prescribed drugs in America.

For decades, despite little evidence of their safety and effectiveness, post-menopausal hormones had hormone therapy has been aggressively marketed as one of the best ways for women to turn back the hands of time and reverse the signs of aging. By 2001, more than 60 million women used hormone replacement therapy (HRT) to relieve the major symptoms of menopause, including hot flashes, night sweats, insomnia, fatigue, moodiness, depression and irritability, as for the hope of preventing heart disease, osteoporosis and Alzheimer’s disease.

In 2002, the results of the Women’s Health Initiative, reported that estrone and estradiol plus synthetic progesterone caused an increased risk of breast cancer, heart attacks, stroke and blood clots. Then in 2004, researchers found that estrogen-progestin drugs not only did not prevent Alzheimer’s but actually increased the risk of dementia and mental decline by 47%. Additional studies continued to refute all the previous claims: Estrogen-Progestin drugs do NOT prevent incontinence but may contribute to it; they increase the risk of gallbladder disease, and they can shrink an older woman’s brain. .

The Wisdom of Nature: Estriol is the body’s Natural Anti-Cancer Agent

There are three types of estrogen in a woman’s body that work together to safely produce the desired effects.  Estrone and Estradiol stimulate the cell growth necessary for reproduction. However, when found in too high a level they can be carcinogenic. Estriol on the other hand has been found to protect the body from the harmful effects of the Estrone and Estradiol. Estriol has been shown to be anti-carcinogenic.  The correct ratio of Estriol to Estrone and Estradiol as found naturally in a healthy woman’s body is 8:1:1. All of the current estrogen drugs used in this country are combinations of synthetic copies of Estrone and Estradiol without Estriol.

The truth is the drug companies that made the first estrogen drugs copied the wrong estrogens. They copied the two most concentrated estrogens Estrone and Estradiol. This made sense from a production standpoint but not from a safety standpoint. Estrone and Estradiol are 1000 times more potent than the third estrogen known as Estriol. Nature puts all three estrogens together for a good reason. Estriol protects the body from developing cancer. The truth is that the pharmaceutical scientists made a mistake by underestimating the wisdom of nature’s  hormone synergy and ignored Estriol.

Rather than admit they were wrong and open themselves up to millions of dollars in law suits, doctors and pharmaceutical companies in the U.S. continue to make the synthetic copies of the forms of estrogen that are known to be carcinogenic, although the safe estrogen, Estriol, has been prescribed in Europe for a number of years.

Doctors and pharmaceutical companies in the U.S. are either afraid to learn the truth and therefore don’t investigate it, or they are involved in a horrible cover-up that may be killing thousands of women every year.

In 2008, the FDA issued notice to compounding pharmacists forbidding them from using estriol in their natural hormone formulations because the agency doesn’t have a specified approved use for it. They took this action because Wyeth complained about it. And yet, Wyeth-Pharma sells two types of estriol drugs in Europe, so we know this is not a safety and efficacy issue.

Estriol is the Safe Female Hormone

Estriol is a mild estrogen that’s primarily used in cream form for vaginal dryness and urinary tract problems in menopausal women in Euorpe. It has been used in Europe for 30 years, and its safety and effectiveness are well established. Many doctors in the U.S. who use natural hormones prescribe tri-est and bi-est, estrogen cream formulations made by compounding pharmacies that contain estriol. These formulations appear to be what Wyeth perceives as its competition.

Here’s what the medical literature states about Ovestin, an estriol cream made in Europe: “Ovestin contains the natural hormone estriol, which is a weak estrogen. It treats urogenital symptoms without causing adverse changes to the endometrium (uterine lining), which means that it can be used without a progestogen in women with an intact uterus… The absence of progestogen-induced withdrawal bleeds with Ovestin makes it highly acceptable to women.”

For moderate or severe symptoms of menopause, I recommend Hormone Augmentation with a combination of natural bio-identical Estriol, extracted from soy beans and Progesterone, extracted from wild yams.

Estriol prevents hot flashes, bone loss, thinning of the skin and vaginal membranes yet it is 1000 times less stimulating to the breast tissue than is Estradiol. Not only does it NOT promote breast cancer, but considerable evidence indicates that it may protect against and reverses breast cancer.

According to an unpublished study by Lemon, Foley, and Kessinger, “2.5 to 5 mg and occasionally 15 mg of estriol, equivalent to a little more than 0.65 to 1.25 mg of conjugated estrogens and estradiol) was used, with the informed consent of patients, in postmenopausal women with breast carcinoma and metasiases. Thirty-seven percent receiving this small dosage had remission or arrest of metastatic lesions.”

Natural Progesterone

Taking natural Progesterone helps to prevent uterine cancer and increases Bone Mineral Density by as much as 10-15% within 6 months and 20-25% in 3 years (Clinical Nutrition Review, 1990, 10:384-391). The natural bio-identical hormones are safe and effective alternatives to synthetic drugs, providing all of the benefits and more, without the negatives.

Black Cohosh is an Effective Herbal Remedy for Menopause Symptoms

Extracts from the roots of the herb Black Cohosh (Cimicifuga racemosa) have been shown to be effective in the treatment of menopausal symptoms, including hot flashes, profuse sweating, sleep disturbances and depressive moods. In a review of eight human studies, it was shown to be a safe, effective alternative to estrogen replacement therapy.

U.S. and European Clinical studies documenting the safety and effectiveness of Black cohosh root extracts for the treatment of menopause are impressive. These studies show good therapeutic efficacy and safety profiles for Black Cohosh root. In addition, clinical and experimental investigations indicate that Black Cohosh root does not show hormone-like activity and may possess anti-cancer activity. (SOURCE: Adv Ther 1998 Jan-Feb;15(1):45-53; Planta Med 1991 Oct;57(5):420-4; J Womens Health 1998 Jun;7(5):525-9, University of Bridgeport, Connecticut, USA)

Should You Get Mammograms?

A woman ages about 4 years every time she gets a mammogram. Radiation causes cellular damage associated with aging and DNA mutations that raise the risk of developing cancer. The more mammograms you get the greater the risk of getting Cancer. According to good scientific data that is being mostly ignored in this country, women who start getting annual mammograms at age 40 have a 136% increased risk of dying from breast cancer by the time they turn 50 compared to women who don’t get annual mammograms, according to researcher from the Canadian National Breast Cancer Screening Study.

Mounting evidence now indicates that annual screening mammography for women aged 40-59 does not save lives, but actually increases the incidence of breast cancer, not to mention mammography feels like having your breasts smashed between the garage door and the cement floor.

The truth is there is no reliable evidence that having regular mammograms reduces the risk of dying of breast cancer in women of any age. In fact, there is strong evidence to the contrary. According to the Nordic Cochrane Center, in Copenhagen, a respected international body that assesses medical evidence, an analysis that examined seven completed and eligible trials involving half a million women found that “The currently available reliable evidence does not show a survival benefit of mass screening for breast cancer.”(Lancet 2001 Oct 20;358(9290):1340-2).

For more information about Mammograms, click here.

MRI Screening vs Mammograms

A Dutch study (NEJM 2004; 351: 427-37) found that MRI detected 79.5% of invasive breast cancer, compared to 33.3% for mammography and 17.9% for clinical breast exam. The study screened 1909 women, including 358 who carried gene-line mutations.

A Canadian study (JAMA 2004;292[11]:1317-25) concluded that MRIs were more sensitive and more specific in detecting small breast cancers than mammograms, ultrasounds or clinical breast exams.Another factor in recommending MRIs for screening is that mammography may increase the risk of cancer as well as detecting it, because of the exposure to radiation, says Hryniuk. MRIs, on the other hand, do not expose women to any radiation.

Testing by MRI is the most sensitive and most accurate method of detecting beast cancer. However, it is approximately 7 times more expensive than Mammograms and often produces false positives, by finding small anomalies that look like tumors but are not. These findings often lead to surgery, chemotherapy and/or radiation when it is not truly warranted.

Doctors Beat mammograms at Detecting Breast Lumps

Dr. Gavin T. Royle and colleagues from the Southampton Breast Unit studied diagnostic data for 350 women with suspected breast cancer. Presenting their findings to the 7th Nottingham International Breast Cancer Conference, Royle’s group said that mammography was up to 33% less likely to detect lumps than were physicians. (Eur J Cancer 2001 Sep;37 Suppl 5:1-48)

General practitioners (GPs) successfully identified lumps in 78% of cases, while breast surgeons were found to be slightly better with an 82% success rate. Mammography only proved sensitive in 63% of patients. “Both GP and breast surgeon clinical examination were more sensitive than mammography in determining if a lump was present,” Royle told conference participants. The study also found that ultrasound, which emits no radiation, was the best noninvasive way of determining whether lumps were benign or malignant.

What Does Dr. Hansen Rx Instead of Mammograms?

For Breast Cancer Testing, I recommend that all women over age 35 get an annual breast exam from their family physician. This should be done by the same physician every year. If he finds a suspicious lump the patient should get an Ultrasound. If the lump is hollow in the center it is a cyst and the exam is over. If the lump is solid in the center, then the patient needs an MRI and possibly a biopsy.

Hormone Testing

The best way to test your hormone levels is by a saliva sample. In the Saliva Hormone Test you can measure the active estriol and testosterone hormone levels. Blood tests cannot measure active estriol levels. This is the most important hormone to measure. You want to make sure that you are getting enough Estriol and not too much Estrone or Estradiol. Your Estriol level should be 8 times higher than your Estradiol or Estrone levels. Once you know your hormone levels you can get or keep them in balance. For information about these hormone tests, please click here.

Overview
Hormones exert a powerful influence over a woman’s health. Estrogens protect a woman from cardiovascular disease and osteoporosis and are vital for fertility. Progesterone levels affect mood, and balance the tissue proliferative effect of Estrogen. Testosterone increases energy, libido, and muscle.

A comprehensive assessment of your hormonal balance can be made by measuring Estrone, Estradiol, Estriol, DHEA, Progesterone, and Testosterone. Informed decisions regarding the need to initiate Bio-Identical Hormone Replacement Therapy (BHRT), or how to individualize therapy can then be made to maximize the health benefits of BHRT. Individual differences in hormone metabolism make monitored therapy the best choice for long term health.

Careful monitoring and individualization of BHRT can provide women with the benefits of supplemented natural Estrogen while reducing the risk of uterine, ovarian and breast cancer. (An increased cancer risk has been associated with conjugated Estrogen or synthetically modified hormone use. This is not the case with bio-identical or natural hormone use.)

Estrogen

With advancing age, a woman’s ovarian function declines, leading to a decline in the production of Estrogen. This decline leads to vasomotor instability that causes hot flashes. It also causes decreased muscle mass, which is then replaced by fibrous tissue. Thinning skin is due to a loss of connective tissue support and elasticity. Vaginal mucous membranes also become thin and dry and breast tissue begins to sag. Supplementing natural Estriol (E3) can help stop many of these undesirable effects associated with menopause.

Progesterone
Progesterone is also produced by the ovaries from cholesterol. It has its own unique hormonal functions, but a certain amount is also converted into Estrogen. Progesterone increases uterine secretions and stimulates calcium deposits into bone tissue. It also helps regulate salt, control blood sugar, calms the nervous system and promote a healthy thymus gland. Supplementing natural Progesterone can help maintain these healthful benefits. You should have approximately ten times more Progesterone than Estriol for optimal balance.

Testosterone
When a woman’s ovarian function declines in the years before and during natural menopause, so does the amount of Testosterone she produces. Between a woman’s 20s and 40s the amount of Testosterone circulating in her blood declines about 50%. If a woman starts synthetic Estrogen Replacement Therapy at menopause, her blood levels of Testosterone drop even further due to a biochemical reaction.

Symptoms such as fatigue, muscle wasting, low sex drive, decreased sexual stimulation, and diminished sense of well-being can be due to a Testosterone deficiency. These symptoms may be significantly improved with natural Testosterone replacement.

DHEA
DHEA is the most abundant steroid in the body. DHEA is a steroid precursor produced by the adrenal gland and converted to Testosterone and the Estrogens. DHEA levels decrease dramatically with age. Adequate DHEA levels give the body the building blocks necessary to produce these hormones. Low levels of DHEA are associated with and increase in coronary artery disease, muscle wasting, abdominal fat and osteoporosis. Taking DHEA reverses these processes and may also increase the sense of well-being.

Hormone levels affect health and well-being.
Monitoring hormone therapy increases therapy benefits while reducing side effects.
Due to individual differences in hormone absorption and metabolism, the hormone dosage required to attain physiologic levels will vary by patient and method of administration.

References

1. Samsioe G. The endometrium: effects of estrogen and estrogen-progestogen replacement therapy. Int J Fertil Menopausal Stud 1994;39 Suppl 2:84-92
2. Davis S. Androgen replacement in women: a commentary. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 1999 Jun;84(6):1886-91
3. Watts NB. Hulka BS. Epidemilogical analysis of breast and gynecological cancers. Prog Clin Biol Res. 1997;396:17-29.
4. Rosano GM, Panina G. Cardiovascular pharmacology of hormone replacement therapy. Drugs Aging 1999 Sep;15(3):219-34

Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS)

Many women are surprised to learn that PMS moodiness and painful menstrual periods are not normal. An imbalance of the Estrogen to Progesterone level can cause PMS and cramps as well as Migraine Headaches, Irregular Periods, Heavy Menstrual Bleeding, Acne, Ovarian Cysts, Uterine Fibroids, Infertility, Osteoporosis and Cancer. At the Hansen Clinic of Natural Medicine we test a woman’s hormones to determine the cause of the hormonal imbalance. We then prescribe nutritional, herbal and homeopathic medicines based on the individual findings of each patient’s symptoms and lab results.

Women are thrilled to discover how good they can feel when their hormones get balanced and all their symptoms go away. If you or your daughters are suffering from PMS or any of the other estrogen related disorders listed above you owe it to yourself and your daughters to get tested so you can balance out your hormones. You will be surprised how good “healthy” feels.

Human Papilloma Virus (HPV)

HPV is a sexually transmitted virus that can cause damage to the cervix, genital warts and cervical cancer. More than 1 out of 4 women in the United States, ages 14 to 59, have been infected with genital HPV. As many as 20-40 million Americans have HPV currently, with 6.2 million new cases occurring every year. This sexually transmitted virus will cause invasive cancer of the cervix in an estimated 11,500 women and kill 3,670 in the U.S. this year alone.

Conventional Medicine knows of no cure for HPV. Treatments include Cryotherapy, Laser Surgery, or LEEP procedures. Medical Doctors are trained to treat this disease only by freezing or burning off the end of the cervix. Each procedure is an amputation of approximately ¼ inch of the neck of the uterus. The doctor can only hope he cuts off enough of the cervix to get all of the virus, but leave enough so that if the woman wants to have a baby, there is enough cervix left to hold the baby in for entire pregnancy. Unfortunately, all of these procedures frequently fail and the virus often comes back within six months prompting more amputations or eventually a total hysterectomy.

The good news is that there is a natural alternative. Dr. Hansen, has been successfully treating HPV and abnormal PAPs for 20 years with a natural treatment that totally eradicates the virus, without invasive surgery and without leaving any trace of HPV DNA to come back.

For HPV Key Facts, click here.

For HPV Patient Success Stories, click here.

For HPV Testing information, click here.

For HPV Vaccine information, click here.

Menopause

Menopause means the cessation of menses, but often brings in its wake the start of other equally aggravating symptoms including hot flashes, sweating, sleeplessness, thinning of the skin, thinning of the bones, changes in mood, lowered energy level, vaginal dryness, and decreased sexual desire. Many women feel that they have lost control of their own bodies. Nature intended for the menses to stop, but the onslaught of other symptoms is NOT normal.

Millions upon millions of women have taken synthetic hormone replacement therapy to stop the symptoms of menopause. Recently, however, the National Institutes of Health abruptly halted the nation’s biggest study on Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT), because the study found that the use of synthetic estrogen and progestin drugs like Premarin and Prempro for more than five years increases a women’s risk of breast cancer by 26%, her risk of a heart attack by 29%, her risk of stroke by 41% and her risk of blood clots by 113%. (Source: JAMA. 2002;288:321-333).

That news prompted many women to abandon the drugs temporarily. Sales of Wyeth’s estrogen-progestin drug Prempro, the brand used in the study, went down 52 percent. Half of the 6 million women taking the drug stopped taking it. Sales of Wyeth’s estrogen only drug Premarin went down as well, but only by 15 percent. Now however, heavy advertising has helped Premarin sales go back up by 23% recently as women who are still suffering from hot flashes have forgotten about risks discovered in the abruptly halted study.

Even the so-called bio-identical hormones Estrone and Estradiol are associated with significant risk of cancer, strokes and blood clots. The only truly safe estrogen is Estriol. Known as E3, Estriol has been referred to as the forgotten estrogen. The truth is that the drug companies simply copied the wrong estrogen 70 years ago when the made their first synthetic copies of the naturally occurring estrogen in women. They copied the most potent estrogens, which meant that a small amount would go a long way. Unfortunately, because they are more potent, Estrone and Estradiol are also more prone to cause serious side-effects.

The good news is that this stormy and unpleasant course does not have to happen and women do not have to take dangerous drugs to prevent it. There are safe and effective natural medicines that you can use to eliminate the symptoms of Menopause. Life-style and dietary choices, including supplementation with specific vitamins & minerals, and foods, plus natural Estriol, Progesterone, DHEA and Testosterone can help make Menopause a joyful experience.

Testing Your Hormones

You need to test your hormone levels to know where you are. You want to make sure that you are getting enough, but not too much. Your Estriol level should be 8-10 times higher than your Estradiol levels. Once you know your hormone levels you can get or keep them in balance.

At the Hansen Clinic we measure Estrogen, Progesterone, Testosterone and DHEA levels. Female hormones exert a powerful influence over a woman’s health. Estrogen helps prevent thinning of the bones, thinning of the skin, vaginal dryness and other symptoms of aging. Progesterone levels affect mood, stimulate a healthy bone density and reduce the risk of cancer that could be caused by unopposed Estrogen. Testosterone helps maintain energy, libido, and muscle mass. DHEA is a hormone produced by the adrenal gland that is the precursor to Progesterone, Testosterone, or the Estrogens. Adequate DHEA levels give the body the building blocks necessary to produce these hormones. Deficiencies of DHEA indicate an adrenal weakness and appear to be inversely associated with coronary artery disease and aging. A simple sample of your saliva can tell you if your female hormones are in balance and ease you through a wonderful change of life.

Natural Hormone Alternatives

Dr. Hansen recommends natural, Bio-identical Estriol, Progesterone, DHEA and/or Testosterone depending upon individual symptoms and lab results. The appropriate individualized balance of natural hormones has been shown to eliminate hot flashes, stabilize mood, increase energy, libido and muscle mass, as well as prevent thinning of the bones, thinning of the skin, and drying of the vaginal membranes that are usually associated with menopause.

To understand Menopause, you need to know a little about your hormones estrogen and progesterone. Starting in a woman’s 30s, blood levels of estrogen and progesterone gradually decline. This is what nature intended.

Estrogen is necessary for the monthly production of new endometrial cells to line the uterus in preparation for a baby. Progesterone increases the vascular development of the uterus and breasts. When the child bearing years are over, the hormone levels decrease dramatically.

The use of synthetic estrogens, first isolated in the 1920s, did not become popular until the 1960s, when it was touted in Feminine Forever, by Robert Wilson, as the antidote to aging in women by preventing the otherwise inevitable thinning and wrinkling of the skin, drying of the vaginal membranes, and thinning of the bones that caused stooping of the shoulders.

By 1975 more than half of the 30 million postmenopausal women in the United States were being prescribed estrogen. However, about that same time, studies began showing that these women were five times more likely to develop uterine cancer than women who did not take this Estrogen Replacement Therapy. More recent studies have shown that estrogen also increases the incidence of breast cancer.

There are three types of estrogen in a woman’s body that work together to safely produce the desired effects. The three types of estrogen are Estrone (E1), Estradiol (E2), and Estriol (E3). Estrone and Estradiol have now been shown to be carcinogenic when given by themselves, while Estriol has been found to be anticarcinogenic and therefore protect the body from the harmful effects of the other two.

However, all of the current estrogen drugs used in this country are combinations of synthetic copies of estrone and estradiol.Rather than admit they were wrong and open themselves up to millions of dollars in law suits, doctors and pharmaceutical companies in the U.S. continue to make the synthetic copies of the forms of estrogen that are known to be carcinogenic, although the safe estrogen, Estriol, has been prescribed in Europe for a number of years.

Doctors and pharmaceutical companies in the U.S. are either afraid to learn the truth and therefore don’t investigate it, or they are involved in a horrible cover-up that is killing thousands of women every year.

Estriol is considered the “forgotten” estrogen. Is has been labeled historically in the US as a weak or ineffective estrogen, while in Europe Estriol has been recognized for its benefits and has been used for years.

With recent articles and studies stating that women using traditional estrogen therapy for five or more years have a 30 to 40% increased risk of cancer, the need to use a safer form of estrogen seems crucial. Estriol is the best choice. It has never been associated with cancer activity in the female body, but has been shown to prevent or even reverse Breast Cancer.

BENEFITS OF ESTRIOL

Estriol has a much less stimulating effect on the breast and uterine lining than estradiol and estrone. Estradiol is 1000 times more stimulating to the breast tissue than is Estriol.

One of the most exciting things about Estriol is the fact that not only does it not promote breast cancer, but considerable evidence exists to show that it protects against this disease.

In 1978, A. H. Follingstad, M.D. of Albuquerque, NM, wrote as article for the Journal of the American Medical Association, calling for the use of Estriol instead of estrone and estradiol. In support of his position, he cited a group of post menopausal women with metastatic breast cancer. When given small doses of Estriol, 37% of the women experienced either a remission or a complete arrest of the metastasized lesions.

In 1966, H. M. Lemon, M.D. demonstrated that women with breast cancer have lower Estriol levels. Later he showed that women without breast cancer had naturally higher Estriol levels (compared to estrone and estradiol) than those with breast cancer.

Doses of 2-4 mg. Estriol is considered to be the equivalent of .625 and 1.25mg conjugated estrogen respectively.

Dr. Julian Whitaker, Publisher of the “Health and Healing ” newsletter, says that Estriol’s anti-cancer effect is thought to be due to its anti-estrone characteristics. It apparently blocks the stimulatory effect of estrone on the breast.

Estriol as an estrogen supplement does not lose its unique identity when given orally as does estradiol. It remains Estriol.

Estriol is thought to help prevent or stabilize the conversion of estradiol to estrone. Estrone being labeled by many researchers as the “villain” estrogen in the female body.

Estriol seems to be well tolerated when given orally.

It is also remarkable that Estriol, different from estradiol, does not provoke endometrial proliferation and shedding when given in one dose a day. Thus, Estriol is characteristically suitable for postmenopausal women who no longer want to have uterine bleeding and who have comparatively higher risk of endometrial hyperplasia.

A Taiwan study concluded that Estriol was very effective in the improvement of major subjective climacteric complaints in 86% of patients, especially hot flush and insomnia within 3 months. The atrophic genital thinning caused by estrogen deficiency were also improved satisfactorily. This study was not able to show that Estriol will prevent bone loss.

Receptor binding studies have indicated that Estriol has only low relative binding affinity to endometrial estrogen receptors (about 10% of Estradiol), whereas it has a relatively strong binding affinity to vaginal estrogen receptors (equal to Estradiol). This means that after a single dose of Estriol, the binding to the endometrial estrogen receptor is too short to induce true proliferation, while its binding to the vaginal estrogen receptor is sufficient to exert a full vaginotropic effect. Because of Estriol’s strong vaginotropic effect it is thought to be the estrogen most beneficial to the vagina, cervix, and vulva. In cases of postmenopausal vaginal drynes and atrophy, which predisposes a woman to vaginitis and cystitis, Estriol supplementation would theoretically be the most effective (and safest) estrogen to use.

Of all the estrogens, Estriol has the shortest receptor occupancy. Therefore providing a short duration of action in certain estrogen receptor tissue. A consequence of the short duration of action of Estriol at the receptor level is that there are hardly any systemic effects. Studies indicate absence of effects on: blood pressure, body weight, liver function and blood clot formation.

Current studies do not show Estriol to have any cardioprotective effects through changes in lipid metabolism.

Literature searches produced only one study which showed that Estriol had a positive effect on Bone Mineral Density. A Japanese study. Seventy -five natural postmenopausal women with a BMD of more that 10% below the peak bone density were treated for 50 weeks with 2mg/ day Estriol cyclically (4 weeks on / 1 week off) and .8gm / day calcium lactate continuously. The BMD increased by 1.79% (p<0.01 vs. pretreatment) after 50 weeks.

The Japanese study also concluded that the parameters of lipid metabolism in their study showed no significant changes after 50 weeks.

The intravaginal administration of Estriol prevents recurrent urinary tract infections in postmenopausal women, probably by modifying the vaginal flora.

It is suggested that Vitamin E administered daily with Estriol therapy will improve Estriols activity in the body.

Oral doses of up to 16mg per day have been documented. The most common oral dosage range is 1-4mg per day.

Mode of Administration

Dr. Hansen recommends the oral, sub-lingual (under the tongue) route for Estriol. Dosing Estriol under the tongue allows the hormone to be absorbed directly into the blood stream from the mouth. This route allows the hormone to directly to work without being partially removed by the liver and eliminated from the body too quickly. Because it is taken orally, the dose can be changed as needed, and excesses do not build up, whereas the SottoPelle® implants cannot be changed for 4-6 months, unless they are surgically removed.

References

1. John R. Lee, M.D. with Virginia Hopkins. What your Doctor may not tell you about

menopause. The breakthrough book on natural progesterone. Warner Books, Inc 1996

2. Tzay-Shing Yang M.D. et al., Efficacy and safety of Estriol replacement therapy for climacteric women. Chin Med J (Taipei) 1995;55:386-91

3. A. H. Follingstad M.D. Estriol, the forgotten estrogen. JAMA, Jan. 2 1978 Vol 239 No.1

4. Hiroshi Minaguchi M.D. et al, Yokohama City University, School of Medicine, Yokohama, Japan. J. Obstet. Gynaecol. Res. Vol 22, No. 3: 259-265 1996

5. Raul Raz, M.D., Walter E. Stamm, M.D. A controlled trial of intravaginal Estriol in postmenopausal women with recurrent urinary tract infections. N. England J. Med. 1993;329:753-6

6. G. P. Vooijs, T. B. P. Geurts, Review of the endometrial safety during intravaginal treatment with Estriol. European Journal of Obstet. and Gynec. and Reprod. Biology 62 (1995) 101-106

Rather than admit they were wrong and open themselves up to millions of dollars in law suits, doctors and pharmaceutical companies in the U.S. continue to make the synthetic copies of the forms of estrogen that are known to be carcinogenic, although the safe estrogen, Estriol, has been prescribed in Europe for a number of years.

Doctors and pharmaceutical companies in the U.S. are either afraid to learn the truth and therefore don’t investigate it, or they are involved in a horrible cover-up that is killing thousands of women every year. They rationalize their position by contending that although the statistics show that the estrogen drugs are statistically associated with an increased incidence of cancer of the uterus and the breast, it is impossible to prove a direct cause in any individual case. They also contend that estrogen is also known to be positively associated with a reduced indidence of hip fractures by preventing osteoporosis.

Since there are more than 1 million hip fractures annually in this country compared to only 46,000 cases of uterine cancer and 175,000 cases of breast cancer, many doctors believe that the risks of osteoporosis so far outweigh the risk of cancer that it is justifiable to continue to prescribe the synthetic estrogens Estrone and Estradiol.

To add to this bias, new studies have recently shown that adding progestin (synthetic progesterone) for at least 10 days each month to the Estrogen Replacement Thereapy exerts a protective effect against uterine cancer. Women are therefore now being told that adding progesterone to their Estrogen Replacement Thereapy resolves the health concerns. However, this is not true. Although synthetic progestin may protect their risk of uterine cancer, it increases their risk of breast cancer and heart disease, and it again causes them to have to suffer monthly bleedingThe real question every woman needs to ask is, “Is there a safe hormone replacement therapy?” The answer is a definitive YES! There are natural sources of both estrogen and progesterone that have been shown to be safe and effective.

In the January 2, 1978, issue of JAMA, the Journal of the American Medical Association, Dr. Alvin H. Follingstad, M.D. wrote an article entitled Estriol, the Forgotten Estrogen? Dr. Follingstad calls Estriol the neglected estrogen. “In our country,” he says, “it has been labeled as a weak or ineffective estrogen and difficult if not impossible to obtain. Actually it is not weak if given in adequate doses. A dose of 2 to 4 mg is the equivalent of 0.6 to 1.25 mg of conjugated estrogen or estrone and is just as effective. It has been available in for many years and is cited in articles on the equivalent doses of various estrogens.

Dr. Follingstad reported, “Studies of ethnic groups with low incidence of breast cancer compared with the high incidence on our country and in Britain have shown higher urinary excretion of estriol in the low-incidence countries. Animal studies have shown that a high endogenous estriol level protects against the tumor-producing effects of estrone and estradiol.”"According to an unpublished study by Lemon, Foley, and Kessinger, 2.5 to 5 mg and occasionally 15 mg of estriol, equivalent to a little more than 0.65 to 1.25 mg of conjugated estrogens was used, with the informed consent of patients, in postmenopausal women with breast carcinoma and metasiases. Thirty-seven percent receiving this small dosage had remission or arrest of metastatic lesions.”

In conclusion to his article, Dr. Follingstad restates the essential question and then gives the answer “Do we have a safer and possibly a noncarcinogenic estrogen that has been neglected, one that can be administered orally, maintains its unique identity, and is as effective as estrone or estradiol? Enough presumptive and scientific evidence has been accumulated that we may say that orally administered estriol is safer than estrone or estradiol.”

 
In spite of Dr. Follingstad’s plea to his colleagues to investigate and use estriol, most doctors continue to ignore the use of this estrogen. Instead, they continue to prescribe Premarin (synthetic estrone and esradiol) and Provera (synthetic progestin) which has some progesterone effects, but also has an additional 30 negative side effects that are listed in the Physician’s Desk Reference. 

In my practice, I recommend a combination of Estriol and Progesterone, extracted from natural sources. The Estriol is extracted from Soybeans and the Progesterone is extracted from the Wild Yam. Estriol can prevent the typical symptoms of menopause (see “PROS” in the table). Taking natural Progesterone helps to prevent uterine cancer and can actually increase Bone Mineral Density (BMD). In 1990, Dr. John Lee, M.D., reported a study entitled: Osteoporosis Reversal, The Role of Pregesterone, Clinical Nutrition Review, 1990, 10:384-391. The study showed that postmenopausal women who took natural progesterone increase their BMD by 10-15% within 6 months and 20-25% in 3 years.

Naturopathic Physicians have been using natural hormones from plants for at least a hundred years. Alfalfa, Soybeans, Dong Quai, Angelica, and the Wild Yam, all contain natural plant estrogen and/or progesterone that are virtually identical to the natural estrogens made by the human body. These are safe and effective alternatives to synthetic drugs, providing all of the benefits and more, without the negatives.

Researchers at Columbia University and George Washington University have found a safe and effective alternative to synthetic drugs. Researchers examined the results of 29 independent studies on alternative treatments for hot flashes and found excellent support for the effectiveness of the herb Black cohosh.Women are rightly fearful of synthetic hormone replacement therapy (HRT) since Government scientists at the National Institutes of Health abruptly halted the nation’s biggest study on HRT in July 2002, saying long-term use of synthetic estrogen and progestin drugs increase a women’s risk of breast cancer by 26%, her risk of a heart attack by 29%, and her risk of stroke by 41% (SOURCE: JAMA. 2002;288:321-333).

Black cohoshBlack cohosh

Black cohosh, a member of the buttercup family, is among the most popular of alternative treatments for menopause. Most clinical studies involved a concentrated brand called Remifemin, manufactured and sold as a natural prescription drug in Germany since the mid 1900’s, first by Schaper and Brummer (GmbH) and more recently by GlaxoSmithKline. Black cohosh has been used safely and effectively in Germany for almost 50 years with no evidence of any serious side effects, contraindications, or drug interactions. 

BenefitsBenefits

In several clinical trials, Black cohosh has been shown to provide significant improvement in 86% of all patients within 4 weeks of onset of therapy. Studies show that Black cohosh reduces menopausal symptoms of hot flashes, perspiration, headache, vertigo, heart palpitations, ringing in the ears, nervousness, irritability, sleep disturbances, weariness, and depressive moodiness, while increasing motivation and emotional stability. A recent study also suggests that black cohosh may protect animals from osteoporosis (Phytomed 1996/7;3:379-85). Human studies have not confirmed this action.

How much is needed?
The recommended amount is 20-40 mg twice per day. The best-researched extract provides 1 mg of deoxyactein per 20 mg of extract.

Side effects
Very large amounts (over several thousand milligrams daily) of this herb may cause abdominal pain, nausea, headaches, and dizziness. In large scale clinical trials, none of the patients in clinical trials receiving Remifemin discontinued taking the supplement due to side effects. There are no known drug interactions with Black cohosh. Black cohosh is considered to be similar to Estriol, the healthy, protective estrogen, because it acts as a weak or partial antagonist to Estradiol (which is associated with increased risk of breast, ovarian, and endometrial cancer). Black cohosh is not recommended for pregnant or breast-feeding women due to lack of clinical studies on these women.

For more information about ESPROGEN, Dr. Hansen’s herbal female hormone balancing formula with Black cohosh, please click here.

In July of 2002, US Government scientists at the National Institutes of Health abruptly halted the nation’s biggest study on Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT), saying long-term use of synthetic estrogen and progestin drugs increase a women’s risk of breast cancer by 26%, her risk of a heart attack by 29%, and her risk of stroke by 41% (SOURCE: JAMA. 2002;288:321-333).

However, many women are still getting conflicting information about their alternatives. Dr. Ginger Constantine of Wyeth Pharmaceuticals, the maker of Premarin and PremPro (the estrogen-progestin combination used in the abruptly halted study), contends “There’s still a place for this product.” She noted that lower doses than were used in the government study can bring menopause relief, although there’s no proof they’ll also bring fewer side effects.

The media is downplaying the risks of the harmful side effects from HRT with a numbers game, attempting to make the numbers and the risks sound smaller than they are. A recent AP story states that “For every 10,000 women taking the pills, every year there will be 8 more breast cancers, 7 more heart attacks, 8 more strokes and 8 more life-threatening blood clots in the lungs than if they hadn’t taken the pills. For an individual, those are small risks although with millions of users they add up.”

The truth is that they add up to big numbers that the drug companies would rather not tell you. Last year there were 6 million women using estrogen-progestin pills daily in the US. That means that last year they caused 4800 breast cancer deaths, 4200 heart attacks, 4800 strokes and 4800 life-threatening blood clots in this country.

The news has prompted many women to abandon the drugs. Sales of Wyeth’s estrogen-progestin drug Prempro, the brand used in the study, are down 52 percent and sales of Wyeth’s estrogen only durg Premarin and dwon by 15%.

Apparently, the drug companies, doctors and the media are doing a good job of spinning this story to blame only the estrogen and progestin drugs made by Wyeth Pharmaceuticals. Since the study in July, Wyeth’s competitors – Pfizer (Femhrt), Pharmacia (Ativella) and Novartis (Vivelle) have been selling more of their competing products.

What’s a Woman to do?

Dr. Lorraine Anne Fitzpatrick of the Mayo Clinic says that there are no good alternatives to estrogen for menopause symptoms. She says that the most promising are antidepressants like Prozac (known as SSRIs), but they need more study and pose their own side effects.

Some doctors are now recommending Raloxifene (Evista) by Eli Lilly. Evista is a selective estrogen receptor modulator approved for the prevention and treatment of osteoporosis, but does not affect hot flashes or other postmenopausal symptoms. Although recent research shows that Evista is associated with a 62% reduction in the risk of strokes, the drug is so new that it is not yet known whether it reduces or increases the risk of heart attacks and cancer.

Natural Alternatives for Women

There are safe and effective natural alternatives. In my practice, I recommend natural Hormone Augmentation. For mild symptoms of menopause, I use an herbal hormone balancing formula known as ESPROGEN  that includes Agelica sinensis (Dong Quai) (standardized to 0.8% lingustillide), Dioscorea villosa (Wild Yam) (standardized for 10% Diosgenin), Glycyrrhiza glabra (Licorice) DGL, Tunera diffusa (Damiana) (5:1) and Cimicifuga racemosa (Black Cohosh).

For moderate or severe symptoms of menopause, I recommend Hormone Augmentation with a combination of bio-identical Estriol and Progesterone enhancing herbs, known as OstaB3 or PhytoB respectively. The Estriol is extracted from Soybeans and the Progesterone is extracted from the Wild Yam. Osta B3 and PhytoB contain Barbasco (Wild Yam) extract, Dioscorea extrat, Hawthorn extract, Alfalfa extract, Soybean extract, Licorice extract, Sarsaparilla extract, Wild Oats, and Cherry bark extract.

Estriol prevents hot flashes, bone loss, thinning of the skin and vaginal membranes yet it is 1000 times less stimulating to the breast tissue than is Estriadiol. Not only does it NOT promote breast cancer, but considerable evidence indicates that it may protect against and reverses breast cancer.

Taking natural Progesterone helps to prevent uterine cancer and increases Bone Mineral Density by as much as 10-15% within 6 months and 20-25% in 3 years (Clinical Nutrition Review, 1990, 10:384-391). The natural bio-identical hormones are safe and effective alternatives to synthetic drugs, providing all of the benefits and more, without the negatives.

Testing Your Hormones

It is best to test your hormone levels before beginning any hormone therapy. You want to make sure that you are getting enough, but not too much. Your Estriol level should be 8 times higher than your Estradiol or Estrone levels. Once you know your hormone levels you can get or keep them in balance. For information about these hormone tests, click here.