WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN NATURAL AND SYNTHETIC OESTROGEN?

There is a tremendous difference. Synthetic
Synthetic oestrogens are manufactured in laboratories. They are chemically foreign to the body's metabolic systems and so are not easily broken down by enzymes and can accumulate, causing them to be stronger than the natural oestrogens. For example, the synthetic oestrogen, ethinyloestradiol (brand name Estigyn) is thirty times stronger than the natural oestrogen, oestradiol. The synthetic oestrogens are more likely to cause metabolic changes in the liver leading to an increased incidence of side-effects such as fluid retention, blood clots, aching legs, high blood pressure, etc. I prefer to avoid synthetic oestrogens in menopausal and post-menopausal women as the natural oestrogens are so much safer and are now widely available. Other brands of synthetic oestrogens are Mestranol and Stilboestrol. Natural
Natural oestrogen is mostly developed in laboratories where an exact chemical replica of your ovaries’ oestrogens is cleverly formed. Another popular type of natural oestrogen is called Premarin which is extracted from the urine of pregnant mares. Premarin contains a mixture of natural humanlike oestrogens (oestrone sulphate) and some more potent equine (horse) oestrogens. So, one could say Premarin is strictly only natural for horses! In general, Premarin is an excellent form of oestrogen replacement for menopausal women, but, because of its potency it can cause metabolic changes in the liver. It should probably be avoided in women with obesity, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, varicose veins and in smokers.
The most common truly natural oestrogens are:
■         Oestradiol valerate (brand name Progynova, Primogyn Depot).
■         Piperazine oestrone sulphate (brand name Ogen).
■         Oestriol (brand name Ovestin).
These natural oestrogens are familiar chemicals to our body's metabolic system and are easily broken down into forms that are able to be easily excreted by our livers and kidneys. They do not accumulate in the body and are therefore less likely to cause side effects than the synthetic oestrogens. For these reasons all women on HRT should be using the safer natural oestrogens.
Because natural oestrogens are readily broken down (metabolized) by the body, if they are given in tablet form, they may need to be given twice daily (at 12-hourly intervals) to maintain adequate blood levels of oestrogen during a full 24-hour period. It is not uncommon to see women on a once-a-day tablet of natural oestrogen who complain of hot flushes, dry vagina, fatigue and other symptoms of oestrogen deficiency. Their blood tests often reveal inadequate levels of oestrogen and in such cases they are usually greatly improved by taking their oestrogen tablet at 12-hourly rather than 24-hourly intervals.
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Hormonal

News

TAKING ESTROGEN

With the onset of menopause, many women suffer from hot flashes and night sweats. Arlene March, 56, a Los Angeles psychotherapist, says she started getting hot flashes 5 years ago. “I’d be working,” she recalls, “and suddenly feel intense heat all over my body. I’d break out in a sweat. I’d have to stop work. Then Dr. Mishell prescribed estrogen pills, and I’ve not had a day of discomfort.”
Some women experience a drying and thinning of vaginal tissues in the absence of estrogen, making sex painful. They also might suffer urinary tract infections and incontinence. Estrogen therapy often helps.
Among the physicians consulted, the most cautious was Dr. Morris Notelovitz, founder of the nation’s first Menopause Center, at the University of Florida, and head of the Women’s Medical and Diagnostic Center in Gainesville, Florida. He says each symptom needs a different treatment and advises that genital tract problems be given estrogen treatment for a couple of years at most. He also urges special measurements of the bones before prescribing estrogen therapy for osteoporosis.
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WOMENвЂ™S HEALTH

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ERECTILE DYSFUNCTION SYMPTOMS

Most patients have a combination of two or more of these problems. They are usually first given a thorough medical history and examination to determine the extent of the problem and to hopefully pinpoint a cause. I want to briefly outline the nature of these four symptoms so that your problem will make more sense to you as a patient if you are experiencing any of them.

PRESCRIBED DRUGS

Taking prescribed medications with most vitamins is safe as is taking herbal complexes that are available through health food stores. However, you should always check with your doctor, your pharmacist or your naturopath. They are all trained to know what can go with what.

Weight loss

Overweight is most commonly a result of overeating and lack of exercise. Overweight and fluid retention often go together with people who have glandular problems or under-active thyroids. In such cases an iodine and phosporous deficiency may be the cause.

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