Progesterone
Typically prescribed to offset estrogen dominance in premenopausal women, natural bioidentical progesterone is used to: Reduce risk of endometrial cancerImprove bone density alone, or combined with estrogenBoost the benefits of estrogen in post-menopausal women on both lipid and cholesterol levels, and exercise-induced myocardial ischemia (reduced oxygen to cardiac muscle) vs. the use of synthetic progestins (MPA) Like most treatments, BHRT is not without risks. The Women’s Health Initiative hormone therapy trials gave women some concerns about whether hormone replacement therapy was an acceptable choice. Main risks include a slight increase in the risk of blood clots in the legs and lungs, similar to what women experience when taking birth control pills, using estrogen therapy, or using estrogen and progesterone therapy. These risks have not been seen in women receiving bioidentical hormone replacement therapy.
Large clinical trials, such as HERS 1 and the Women’s Health Initiative, have found that synthetic, non-bioidentical hormone replacement therapy can increase the risk of blood clots and breast cancer. At Gershon Preventative Medicine, we exclusively prescribe bioidentical hormones.
A study by the Mayo Clinic revealed that women who switched from synthetic progestins to micronized natural progesterone experienced a 34% increase in overall satisfaction. They also reported significant improvements in hot flashes (50%), depression (42%), anxiety (47%), and reduced breakthrough bleeding.
Research from Oregon Health Sciences University and USC School of Medicine showed that bioidentical progesterone combined with estradiol helps protect against vasospasm, whereas synthetic MPA with estradiol does not offer this protection.