Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) - Same Story, Different Day

'Hormone Therapy Study Halted Over Cancer Concerns'

That headline could be from July 2002, when the Women's Health Initiative (WHI) abruptly halted a multiyear hormone replacement therapy (HRT) study in order to protect subjects from developing breast cancer. But it's not. That headline is from February 2004.

Some things never change, but it's high time they did.

What are they waiting for?
In a recent e-Alert, I told you about a Swedish hormone replacement therapy (HRT) study that was suddenly cut short two years in advance of its projected end date. The problem: About 170 study subjects who were taking a pharmaceutical hormone replacement therapy (HRT) were determined to be at an unacceptable risk of developing breast cancer.

Of course, there's no way in the world that the Swedish researchers missed the news about the WHI study. And certainly they were aware of additional studies that have found associations between hormone replacement therapy (HRT) with an increased risk of blood clots, gallstones, and type 2 diabetes. It makes you wonder how many other hormone replacement therapy (HRT) projects are in the works that will be shut down ahead of schedule when problems arise.

And more to the point - it makes you wonder why they haven't read the writing on the wall and stopped the projects already.

Change of therapy
I've opened this important topic again because I just came across the results of some revealing research conducted by Kaiser Permanente, a California-based health maintenance company in the US. Kaiser researchers conducted a telephone survey to find out what effect the conclusion of the WHI study had on women who were using hormone replacement therapy (HRT) at the time.

Researchers contacted 670 women, and found that while more than 90 percent had heard about the controversy surrounding the WHI study, more than 60 percent of them didn't know that the findings indicated an increased risk of breast cancer associated with hormone replacement therapy (HRT). And yet, in spite of being poorly informed, more than half of the women surveyed said that they had discontinued hormone replacement therapy (HRT) use within six to eight months after the WHI announcement.

Of those who stopped using hormone replacement therapy (HRT), about thirty percent reported a recurrence of hot flushes, mood swings and other menopausal symptoms. Twenty-six percent of the women who stopped using hormone replacement therapy (HRT) eventually began taking it again.

The Kaiser team concluded that about 70 percent of women who stop taking hormone replacement therapy (HRT) may experience no symptoms (or what they refer to as 'very tolerable' symptoms), even if they stop abruptly. For those who have a recurrence of hot flushes, the study suggests several coping measures, including drinking cold beverages, keeping the body cool, and deep breathing exercises.

Those sound like the standard suggestions you might get from the type of doctor who has no idea what to do when the drugs don't work. But rest assured, there are effective natural alternatives to hormone replacement therapy (HRT).

Lifting levels
According to a recent study, women may find relief from menopausal symptoms with low doses of the natural steroidal hormone supplement called DHEA (an acronym for dehydroepiandrosterone).

Italian researchers recruited 20 postmenopausal women, aged 50 to 65 years. Blood samples for each woman were evaluated for hormone levels before the test began, and again every three months for one year. During that year, each of the women took 25mg of DHEA daily.

When all of the hormonal tests were analysed, researchers found that oestrogen, testosterone and progesterone levels at least doubled for each woman. Furthermore, hot flushes and other menopausal symptoms were significantly reduced. No side effects were reported by any of the women.

DHEA is secreted by the adrenal glands, but your natural production of DHEA peaks in your twenties and then gradually declines. Research has shown that raising low DHEA levels with supplements of the hormone can have dramatic anti-ageing effects.

In addition, giving a boost to DHEA levels may reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke, help control diabetes, increase energy levels, improve memory, strengthen the immune system, and alleviate depression.

Because it's a steroidal hormone, however, DHEA supplementation should always be monitored by a medical professional. As US HSI panellist Martin Milner, N.D., explained in a previous e-Alert, 'Even at small doses, it's relatively easy to overdose on DHEA if you don't actually have a deficiency.'

Here in the UK DHEA is available on prescription only, so speak to your doctor if you are interested in using it.

Seeing the light
But if DHEA isn't right for you, there are other natural alternatives to pharmaceutical hormone replacement therapy (HRT), including dong quai, black cohosh, liquorice, chasteberry, indium and natural progesterone yam cream.

Supplements of vitamins A, C and B complex, plus minerals like boron may also be effective. In addition, some women may find relief in yoga, acupuncture or special exercise regimens.

The important thing for women to know is that there are a number of ways they can cope with the menopause without resorting to drugs. These treatments don't work for everyone, but they do provide promising alternatives for women who are seeing the light and avoiding synthetic hormone replacement therapy (HRT).