What is hormone replacement therapy? Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is a type of treatment where the body is given hormones to prevent or treat certain medical conditions (such as treating symptoms of menopause in women and preventing osteoporosis). The hormones used in HRT are synthetic hormones, which means they are created in a laboratory (rather than by the body), but they act like natural hormones once inside the body. In the past, doctors routinely prescribed HRT because they hoped it could help guard against certain diseases as well as treat the symptoms of menopause. The diseases doctors hoped HRT could help prevent included osteoporosis, heart disease and cancer. Information from studies on HRT suggests that for most women, the risks of using HRT outweigh the benefits. For a few women, benefits may outweigh the risks. This is why it is important to talk to your doctor about HRT. The Women's Health Initiative (WHI) was a set of studies conducted by the National Institutes of Health, a division of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Through these studies, researchers gathered information about the health of women who have gone through menopause. In the HRT trial, researchers were studying the … Continue reading →

The Jefferson-Myrna Brind Center of Integrative Medicine is the Philadelphia region's leader in "bio-identical" hormone replacement therapy (HRT) for both women and men. Our physicians have a carefully designed protocol to assess symptoms and determine appropriate treatment goals, and we offer the most advanced treatment. As you approach your 50s, there is a natural decline in sex hormone production. For women, as you enter menopause, estrogen, progesterone and testosterone can all be affected. For men, the primary issue is testosterone. As these hormone levels decrease, they produce a variety of symptoms. Women can experience hot flashes, low libido or sex drive, insomnia, diminished bone density and mood swings. Men can experience a low sex drive, decreased muscle mass, poor stamina, mood difficulties and weight problems. Our physicians only prescribe bio-identical (or "bio-equivalent") hormones the exact chemical formula found in the human body. The formula is 100 percent human they are NOT simulations or variations of those found in nature. We do not use any synthetic hormones which were the subject of a great deal of controversy and concern several years ago. Further, our approach almost always uses smaller dosages than with the other alternatives. Your dosage is based on your … Continue reading →

Hormonal therapy medicines treat hormone-receptor-positive breast cancers in two ways: Most of the estrogen in women's bodies is made by the ovaries. Estrogen makes hormone-receptor-positive breast cancers grow. So reducing the amount of estrogen or blocking its action can reduce the risk of early-stage hormone-receptor-positive breast cancers coming back (recurring) after surgery. Hormonal therapy medicines can also be used to help shrink or slow the growth of advanced-stage or metastatic hormone-receptor-positive breast cancers. Hormonal therapy medicines are NOT effective against hormone-receptor-negative breast cancers. There are several types of hormonal therapy medicines, including aromatase inhibitors, selective estrogen receptor modulators, and estrogen receptor downregulators. In some cases, the ovaries and fallopian tubes may be surgically removed to treat hormone-receptor-positive breast cancer or as a preventive measure for women at very high risk of breast cancer. The ovaries also may be shut down temporarily using medication. It's important to know that hormonal therapy IS NOT hormone replacement therapy (HRT). HRT isn't used to treat breast cancer. HRT is taken by some women to treat troublesome menopausal side effects such as hot flashes and mood swings. HRT is used to raise estrogen levels that drop after menopause. HRT contains estrogen and can contain progesterone … Continue reading →

Posted by Harriet Hall on April 1, 2008 For years postmenopausal women were told that estrogen was safe. Now theyre being told that estrogen is dangerous. Women are confused. The media havent helped; theyve only increased the confusion and created some myths. Alternative medicine offers the option of herbal remedies they say are safer than estrogen. Suzanne Somers says all of us (even men!) should be taking bioidentical hormones and adjusting our own doses according to how we feel. Whats a woman to do? What does the science really say? Before the Womens Health Initiative (WHI) of 2002, there were two main reasons for prescribing hormone replacement therapy (HRT): it relieved perimenopausal symptoms like hot flashes, and it helped prevent osteoporosis and fractures. There was good reason to believe that estrogen might also reduce the risk of heart attacks, but very few doctors (if any) ever prescribed it for the sole purpose of reducing heart risks. And doctors were always aware that estrogen and progestins were powerful drugs and were not risk-free. There was a time in the mid-20th century when estrogen was thought to be a fountain of youth and women were encouraged to start taking it at menopause … Continue reading →

What is pituitary hormone replacement therapy? Why would a doctor recommend pituitary hormone replacement therapy? What does pituitary hormone replacement therapy involve? What are the side effects of pituitary hormone replacement therapy? The pituitary gland, which is located at the base of the brain, controls the production of hormones in all endocrine glands. In pituitary hormone replacement therapy, a patient takes hormones to replace the hormones not being produced by the pituitary gland. Such hormones include adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), anti-diuretic hormone (ADH), sex hormones, prolactin, and growth hormone. Hypopituitarism is a condition in which the pituitary gland is not producing one or more of its hormones, or is producing them at lower than normal levels. Generally, these hormones stimulate other endocrine glands to produce their hormones. For example, if the pituitary gland doesn't make thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), the thyroid gland doesn't work correctly. Because some hormones are necessary for survival, they must be replaced with medications. The medications taken depend on the hormones that need to be replaced. Your doctor will discuss with you the specifics of your medication. Your doctor will discuss with you the specifics of your medication, including any possible side effects. … Continue reading →