media attention, and it overshadowed the slight benefit of the estro- gen-only replacement.) It was the Provera, the so-called progester- one, that actually dramatically increased breast cancer rates. Why? Bio-identical progesterone balances estrogen and exerts an inhibitory effect on it. In other words, progesterone blocks the slight tendency of estrogen to cause the cell proliferation that results in tu- mor formation. However, because Provera® is not human progester- one, not only does it not inhibit estrogen’s proliferation effect, but it also blocks the natural progesterone receptors, making the situation even worse. It has the opposite effect of progesterone. (Consider that natural progesterone is highest during pregnancy, whereas Provera causes birth defects and is absolutely contraindicated in pregnancy.) The WHI study also showed that women taking Premarin had an increased risk of heart attacks and strokes. But the reporting of this finding was likewise misreported. Was there good news from the WHI study? Absolutely. But those points got buried under stories about the rise in breast cancer and heart disease. Among ALL users of Premarin there was a 35% decrease in the risk of osteoporosis related fractures. This is because estrogen in- creases bone density. Considering that 50% of women over 65 years old who sustain a hip fracture will die in 2 yeas, this is no small fact. Regarding heart disease, the only women in the WHI study taking estrogen who had heart attacks or strokes were those who already had heart disease or cardiovascular risk factors. Among those women who didn’t have the risk factors, their risk of cardiovascu- lar events actually decreased on the Premarin. The estrogen was protective against cardiovascular disease. This is because estrogen, in otherwise healthy women, significantly reduces arterial plaque formation and is cardioprotective. The tragic result of the WHI study, and its blatant misinterpreta- tion and misreporting, is that women have been deterred from reap- ing the profound benefits of bio-identical estrogen and progesterone replacement.
What Does The Research Really Show? Decades of solid research, published in mainstream medical
journals, have shown, and continue to show, the same thing: Bio- identical estrogen and progesterone, given in the right balance, are safe, actually decrease the risk of cancer, reduce the risk of osteopo- rosis, enhance cardiac health, and improve the quality of life. Estrogen, when given alone, has been shown in at least six epidemiologic studies, and in a number of meta-analysis stud- ies, to have NO increased cancer risk. It’s only when the synthetic progestins, such as Provera, are added, do cancer risks skyrocket. Furthermore, adding bio-identical progesterone to estrogen actually decreases cancer risks below normal. Regarding heart disease, women who start estrogen at meno-
pause have a 50% reduction in strokes and heart attacks. And adding natural progesterone enhances this effect.
Look At Nature
The highest protection against breast cancer is during the 3rd tri- mester of pregnancy, when progesterone levels are the highest of any time in a woman’s life. In fact, some recent studies have suggested that progesterone may be as effective in treating breast cancer as the chemotherapy drug Tamoxifen®. Premenopausal women have a much lower incidence of cardio- vascular disease, including heart attacks and strokes. This is because
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