Hormone Replacement Therapy
Hormone Replacement Therapy
Natural-Hormones.net - Discovering Estrogen, Progesterone & Testosterone
Natural HormonesEstrogenProgesteroneTestosteroneBioIdenticalTreatmentsHRT - Hormone Replacement Therapy

HORMONE REPLACEMENT THERAPY

HRTHormone Replacement Therapy, commonly called HRT, has become a controversial menopausal treatment ever since a vast study came out in 2002 that revealed the potentially severe health risks that can piggy-back on HRT treatments. For those who do decide to undergo HRT treatment, understanding the ins and outs will help to remain as safe as possible. Continue reading to learn about HRT and the common hormones that it replaces.


About Hormone Replacement Therapy


Hormone replacement therapy is basically a means of substituting outside hormones into the body when a woman is lacking in natural production. There are several different types of hormone replacement therapy that a woman may experiment with in the search for hormonal relief.

Combined HRT
This involves taking more than one type of hormone at the same time.
Continuous Combined HRT
Two or more types of hormones are taken simultaneously with no breaks in the month. Women on continuous combined HRT will not experience a monthly period in most cases.
Natural HRT
Natural hormone replacement therapy uses hormones that are synthesized from natural sources.
Synthetic HRT
Hormone replacers are chemically synthesized rather than derived from organic sources.

Click on the following link to learn more about hormone replacement therapy, its forms, and repercussions; or, keep reading for more information about the different hormones involved in hormone replacement therapy.


Common Hormones


HRT common hormonesAlthough a woman's body produces myriad hormones that have many different effects on her body, the primary hormones affected by menopause are estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone. Below is information about the various types of hormonal replacement therapy.

1. Estrogen Replacement Therapy


  • Conjugated estrogen - Combines three strains of estrogen.
  • Natural estrogen replacement therapy - Derives estrogen from urine of pregnant mares, which is almost identical to a human female's estrogen.
  • Synthetic estrogen replacement therapy - Comprised of estrogen-like substances composed in a laboratory.
Click on the following link to learn more about estrogen replacement therapy; or, continue reading to learn about progesterone replacement therapy.

2. Progesterone Replacement Therapy

  • Natural Progesterone Replacement Therapy- Derived from natural sources such as wild yams.
  • Synthetic Progesterone Replacement Therapy - Progestogens are fabricated compounds that bind to a woman's own progesterone receptors.
Click on the following link to learn more about progesterone replacement therapy; or, keep reading and learn about testosterone replacement therapy.

3. Testosterone Replacement Therapy


Did you Know?
A woman's testosterone production decreases by 50% between the ages of 20 and 40.
In most cases, a doctor will not prescribe straight testosterone for women. Long term effects of this treatment are not yet known, as this is a relatively new form of hormonal treatment for women.

Click on the following link to learn more about testosterone replacement therapy; or, read on to learn about bioidentical hormone replacement therapy.


Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy


HRT bioidenticalBioidentical HRT treatment, like the name suggests, is identical to the body's naturally produced hormones. The chemical structure of bioidentical HRT is not just similar to natural hormones, but it is exactly the same. There remains a lack of scientific evidence to determine for sure what the actual benefits of bioidentical HRT are.

Bioidentical HRT is commonly administered through a topical cream because it eliminates the risk of blood clotting or liver problems that are associated with oral ingestion of the treatment.

Continue reading to find out what forms of hormone replacement therapy are available.


Forms of Hormone Replacement Therapy


In general, hormone replacement therapy either is derived from the urine of pregnant mares or it is synthetic and is not perfectly identical to the body's natural hormones. Below is a list of the different forms of non-bioidentical HRT.

HRT forms

Click the following link to learn even more about the forms of hormone replacement therapy; or, keep reading to get educated about the side effects of hormone replacement therapy.


Side Effects of Hormone Replacement Therapy


Prior to 2002, little was really known about the possible side effects and dangers of HRT. Recent studies however have showed a connection between HRT usage and breast cancer, heart attacks, and stroke.

Below is a list of the milder side effects that come along with each type of hormone replacement therapy.

Side effects of
Estrogen Replacement Therapy
Side effects of Progesterone Replacement Therapy
Side effects of Testosterone Replacement Therapy
• Vaginal Bleeding
• Nausea
• Breast Pain or Tenderness
• Hair Loss
• Abdominal Cramping
• Headaches
• Fluid Retention
• Weight Gain
• Skin Spotting
• Asthma
• Increase in LDL cholesterol
• Unexplained fatigue
• Mood changes
• Fluid Retention

If a woman decides that these risks outweigh the benefits of hormone replacement therapy, she does have other options. Click the following link to learn more about the side effects for hormone replacement therapy; or, keep reading to find out about alternative treatment options.


Hormone Replacement Therapy Alternative Treatments


With side effects a very real danger when a woman uses hormone replacement therapy, she may want to think about possible alternatives. Keep reading to learn about the array of HRT alternatives to find the best fit.

Lifestyle Changes

Oftentimes hormonal imbalance is simply a case of imbalance in one's lifestyle. This primary level of treatment involves the least risk, though it does involve a certain degree of self discipline. The following changes should be taken into consideration.

HRT lifestyle changes

Alternative Medicines

Alternative medical approaches to treating hormonal imbalance, are generally speaking, the safest and most effective option, certainly much less risky than HRT.

HRT medicinesNon-estrogenic herbs are perhaps the safest and most effective HRT alternative available to women experiencing hormone imbalance. Rather than introducing any sort of foreign substances into the body, they stimulate a woman's body to produce its own estrogen instead, promoting overall balance.

Click on the following link to uncover more of the specific secrets of alternative treatments to hormone replacement therapy.
HRT
SECTIONS
HRT
MAIN
SECTIONS
HRT
 
Reviewed February 04, 2010
Alzheimer disease (AD) is the most prevalent form of dementia among older generations and is more common in women. Despite conflicting...
Reviewed February 04, 2010
Inflammation is thought to play a role in the initiation and development of cardiovascular disease, and much focus has been...
Reviewed February 04, 2010
Hormone therapy is used to treat a multitude of menopause symptoms. From night sweats and incontinence, to weight gain...
Reviewed February 04, 2010
Nearly all oral preparations of postmenopausal hormones (PMHs) increase levels of C-reactive protein (C-RP) which indicates inflammation...
Reviewed Jul 01, 2010
Natural HRT therapy is often known as bioidentical hormone replacement therapy and is seen as a natural healthier alternative to traditional hormone replacement therapy...
Reviewed Jul 01, 2010
Hormone replacement therapy or HRT is a medical process in which hormone deficient women have artificial hormones introduced into their body...


HRT