Posted by Anne Hermann on Wed, Apr 11, 2012 @ 04:10 PM
Anne Hermann, MD
What You Need to Know about Bioidentical Hormone Therapy from Tampa and St Petersburg’s Own Expert!
This article focuses on female hormone therapy. On my blog, I also post articles focused on male 
hormone therapy. As an author of nationally recognized research on bioidentical hormone therapy, I have been treating men and women for 9 years in Tampa Bay. I recommend hormone replacement therapy when non-hormonal and natural therapies do not work in treatment of menopausal symptoms including:
- hot flashes
- weight gain
- sleep disturbance
- “brain fog”
- poor libido
- vaginal dryness
- skin changes
The medical community is learning that some forms of hormone replacement, called bioidentical hormones, have less side effects and less danger than standard hormones. Less risk does not mean no risk, and I always discuss these pros and cons with my patients.
Hormone therapy is not recommended for women with the following:
- · Current or past history of breast cancer (standard hormone therapy increase risk of breast cancer)
- · Coronary heart disease especially if older than 60 or went through menopause more than 10 years ago
- · A previous blood clot, heart attack, or stroke (standard therapy increase risk of blood clots and stroke)
- · Women at high risk for these complications
Benefits:
- Reduces the risk of bone fracture caused by osteoporosis.
- Lowers risk of colon cancer
- Make women with menopausal symptoms feel better
The North American Menopause Society, the Endocrine Society, the International Menopause Society, and guidelines from the European Menopause and Andropause Society for the management of menopausal women all favor the use of bioidentical forms of hormone replacement in women with high risk of blood clots. Unlike standard estrogen treatment, bioidentical estradiol does not increase risk of blood clots or stroke (doses ≤ 50 μg). Bioidentical progesterone also has less risk of blood clots and breast cancer than standard therapy. Based on these data, which are now included in the guidelines, the use of transdermal estradiol and micronized progesterone could reduce the excess risk of blood clots, stroke, and possibly even breast cancer associated with hormone use. Simon JA. What’s new in hormone replacement therapy: focus on transdermal estradiol and micronized progesterone. Climacteric. 2012 Apr;15 Suppl 1:3-10.
I was the first author in the study that demonstrated that the bioidentical form of progesterone cream is absorbed as well as progesterone pills. Over-the-counter progesterone cream produces significant drug exposure compared to a food and drug administration-approved oral progesterone product. Hermann AC, Nafziger AN, Victory J, Kulawy R, Rocci ML Jr, Bertino JS Jr.J Clin Pharmacol. 2005 Jun;45(6):614-9. Look out for my blog on this topic in the future.
Anne Hermann, MD is double board certified in Internal Medicine and as a Physician Nutrition Specialist. To schedule your consult, please call (813) 902-9559.
This post was written by Anne Hermann. Follow Anne Hermann on Google, Facebook, Twitter & Linkedin.
