Bioidentical hormones- natural estrogens and progesterone for women

IAS carries a wide range of bioidentical hormones- a term that means ‘natural to and in the body’. In this featured section we are focusing on the use of natural estrogens and progesterone for women, which of course are normally utilised to aid the menopause.

When hormone replacement therapy (HRT) was developed in the 1920s, estrogens had to be derived from horse urine because a laboratory solution was too difficult/ expensive to synthesize. But today everything has changed, yet this ancient practice continues- these facts have been pointed out by Dr. Jonathan Wright in his best-selling book ‘don’t let your doctor give you horse urine!’

Horse estrogens are, as you might expect, not identical to human; after all humans don’t have manes nor do they have hooves! Yet the industry is stuck in this old loop, despite the fact that natural (bioidentical) estrogens can be easily produced now. Some people believe that the known side-effects from ‘traditional HRT’ are due to the fact that the hormones given are not correct.

As Dr. Wright himself has said many times; “we only have to copy nature, the right molecules at the right times and doses.”

Esnatri™, a unique tri-estrogen

Esnatri™ is our bioidentical triple estrogen cream, which many women use, confident they have chosen the best bioidentical estrogen cream available. It comes directly from the work of Dr. Jonathan Wright who has shown that the majority of women produce estrogens in the ratios of 90% estriol, 7% estrone and 3% estrone.

Most tri-estrogen preparations attempt to replicate the human hormones estriol, estradiol and estrone, apply them in the ratio of 80:10:10, while some even entirely over-look estriol, claiming it is a weak estrogen. But, women naturally produce high levels of estriol and it is considered to have anti-carcinogenic effects.

Esnatri™ use

The Esnatri™ cream can be applied by daily rotation to your neck, upper chest, breasts and behind the knees, or inner thighs. A typical starting dose is 2 mg, start from day one (of what would have been the start of your menstrual cycle) and continue until day 25. Then you should stop for five days, before repeating the application at the start of the next menstrual cycle. During these last few days, the estrogen receptors are being allowed to ‘rest’ as they have been accustomed.

Progesterone

Progesterone is the counterbalance to estrogens. Indeed, whilst women can significantly decline in estrogen levels during menopause- they rarely reach zero production levels, whereas progesterone can sometimes not be measured at all in elderly women.

It is also the low of progesterone that most significantly impacts bone strength, leading onto osteoporosis, so there are numerous reasons to ensure that progesterone is also taken alongside an estrogen therapy.

IAS provides a 5% strength natural progesterone cream. Typical doses are 25 mg to 30 mg of progesterone applied on day 10 and continuing to 25. The start date varies according to the usual timing of your ovulation. Note: As with the Esnatri™ cream, stop for the last five days of your cycle so that the estrogen receptors have their accustomed ‘rest’ period.

Remember, your hormone replacement therapy should be overseen by a physician and should not be undertaken if you have undergone cancer treatment.