Estradiol

Hormone Treatment for women experiencing menopause

Estrogen, produced by the ovaries and adrenal glands, is a very important hormone within the female body. Estrone, estradiol, and estirol are the three types of estrogen. These hormones help prevent heart disease, osteoporosis, memory disorders, and stroke; urinary infections and vaginal atrophy are also avoided with estrogen. Without the estrogen hormone, sagging skin, sagging breasts, fatigue, depression, urogenital atrophy, incontinence, and increased libido are more likely to occur.

As women continue to age and find themselves at the menopause stage, physicians may prescribe them with synthetic estrogen. This synthetic, chemically altered hormone is more likely to have negative effects than a bio-identical hormone. Because of the increased risk of breast cancer and heart disease, found within the synthetic estrogen, many women fear the hormone and decide that they would rather go without it. Going without estrogen, however, can also be a harmful and risky decision. In the absence of estrogen, the risk of a stroke, cardiovascular disease, Alzheimer’s, or osteoporosis significantly increases. Physicians have recently come to realize these effects and have even tried avoiding hysterectomies by saving ovaries whenever able. To avoid these harmful effects and suffering, adding identical hormones in the place of lost hormones will help women get back to pre-menopausal levels. Identical estrogen hormones are the best way to go. Taking synthetic estrogen, such as Premarin, increases risk for disease and are chemically unnatural. Premarin contains estrogen hormones found in pregnant horses. Putting the same identical hormone back in the body, allows itself to be recognized, metabolized, and used as if produced by the body itself.

There is also the problem of the media methodologies. One theory states that cycling—having a period every month—is natural and recommended after menopause. The idea is based on if you are young and healthy you go through cycling, so the same should apply to older menopausal women. Most women find this theory disappointing and unsuitable. That’s because most menopausal women look forward to the end of their cycling days. The reason young woman menstruate is to clean the uterus to prepare for the planting of an egg. If there is no interest in becoming pregnant, there is no need or benefit to cycle. If a menopausal woman is in need of estrogen, cycling is not the path to take. Hormones are stopped for a week each month when on a period, stopping the protection and benefit of estrogen for about one fourth of the time. Hormone replacement therapy is the better way to go. The protective benefits, convenience, and all around natural healthiness is what makes hormone replacement so valuable.