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Looking for a Natural, Safe and Effective Alternative to Relieve Symptoms of HRT?
It's all in the combination. By Mike Grant, Associate Medical Director
Hormone therapy is used to replace hormones that decline naturally during menopause. The therapy can involve the use of estrogen alone called estrogen replacement therapy (ERT) or the use of both estrogen and progestin, which is called hormone replacement therapy (HRT). Short-term therapy, meaning up to five years, usually is used to relieve symptoms such as hot flashes. Long-term therapy is used to reduce the risk of osteoporosis. Deciding whether to take hormone replacement therapy is an important and difficult decision facing millions of women after menopause. Women need to discus the risks and benefits of this therapy with their healthcare provider before choosing an option.
A hormone replacement therapy (HRT) portion of a large set of clinical trials was ended three years prematurely because of a small but unacceptable increase in the rate of breast cancer in women taking the combination of estrogen and progestin for longer than four years. The study conducted by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute also showed an increase in heart attacks, stroke and blood clots in the lungs, and leg. The results were published in the July 17, 2002 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA). This study was another in a series of studies that make the decision about HRT more difficult.
The search for a safe and natural alternative to traditional hormone replacement therapy has lead researchers to the discovery of phytoestrogens. Phytoestrogens are common dietary compounds. They are present in all plants in one form or another. They belong to a class of estrogens known as phenolic estrogens. Phenolic estrogens have a molecular structure similar to that of estrogens made by the ovaries called steroidal estrogens. Therefore, they are able to mimic the action of normal estrogens in the body. Phytoestrogens are much weaker than steroidal estrogens, only 1/50th to 1/250th of the strength of HRT. The phytoestrogens are readily absorbed by the digestive system and circulate freely in the blood, where they act as estrogens before being excreted in the urine within twenty-four hours. There is no chance they can build-up inside the body.
Isoflavones have emerged as the most interesting of the phytoestrogens because they promote potent estrogenic and anti-oxidant activity in the body. Soy is the richest source of isoflavones available. Epidemiological studies in Asian populations who consume more soy than any other group revealed low rates of menopausal symptoms, low rates of breast cancer, and low rates of osteoporosis. The conclusion is that phytoestrogens, especially isoflavones, provide a safe alternative option for women who are looking to avoid the potential harmful effects of HRT. A study revealed that at least six out of ten women would get complete relief of menopausal symptoms using soy isoflavones and with a much safer risk profile. There is no evidence to suggest that isoflavones cause any of the health problems found in the HRT study.
The symptoms experienced by women when they reach menopause are not all due to the fact that estrogen levels have fallen significantly. Many researchers believe the most troubling symptoms are caused by the rise of another female hormone called Luteinizing Hormone (LH). We know that as estrogen levels fall LH levels rise. The night sweats and hot flashes women experience are mainly due to the rise in LH. The herb Black Cohosh has been used for many years to help control the rise in LH. Studies done at several large universities have proven that Black Cohosh suppresses LH levels while reducing menopausal symptoms in a safe and effective way in about 70% of the study participants. Again, there was no evidence to suggest it was associated with any health risks. The fact that Black Cohosh works in a different mechanism of action than estrogen makes it very compatible with the phytoestrogens.
Therefore, it takes two effective natural ingredients taken in concert to offer women a proven, validated, safe HRT alternative. Clinician's Choice Women's Iso Guard with Black Cohosh now offers the best combination available to relieve hot flashes and night sweats for women who want to avoid the risks of HRT. It is common practice among most physicians today to discuss using soy or Black Cohosh as natural alternatives to HRT. Women's Iso Guard offers the combination of these two safe, proven nutrients to maximize effectiveness in controlling symptoms. The isoflavones extracted from soy provide the most active phenolic estrogens and anti-oxidants for your body while the Black Cohosh provides the hormonal balance. In addition, Women's Iso Guard with Black Cohosh provides calcium to promote healthy bones. It is the most effective natural alternative to hormone replacement now available to women.
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