Answer: Absolutely False! Nothing could be further from the truth. The chemical structures are different and that makes a difference in how the cells in the body respond to the hormone. A synthetic hormone (non-human, chemically-altered) does not fit perfectly into the hormone receptor site and thereby can cause harm and side effects. The human-identical hormones have demonstrated much less side effect and harm in comparison with the non-human, chemically-altered hormones. In my book, “How ToAchieve Healthy Aging,” over 200 references cited to medical articles that support the healthy benefits of bioidentical hormones without the harm of synthetic hormones. Evidently these ‘experts” are not reading the same research that I am.

Answer: False. Although the current trend is to prescribe transdermal creams in place of oral estrogen, the medical studies give us some compelling data. Oral estrogen is far better at cardiovascular protection (less heart attacks, strokes and plaque formation in blood vessels) than transdermal cream. Transdermal estrogen has minimal effect on improving serum lipids (good or bad cholesterol) — whereas oral estrogen certainly does. Studies have demonstrated that oral estrogens marked beneficial effect on cholesterol, LDL and HDL, provides the most protection, whereas transdermal provides much less cholesterol effect and therefore much less cardiovascular protection in the long run. In a few women with a particular health history, oral estrogen is contraindicated and transdermal is therefore recommended. However this is not the case for most women. Oral estrogen has many more health protective benefits than does transdermal estrogen and thus is the preferred form of estrogen unless there is the rare contraindication.

Answer: True and false: It is primarily Premarin and Provera that cause this, particularly Provera. However, the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) published an article demonstrating increased blood clots with Premarin but not with other oral estrogens. Another study proved that oral estradiol did not increase blood clots. (WEST study) If you have experienced a blood clot in the legs or lungs or have a genetic clotting disorder, transdermal estrogen is safe and preferred. If you do not have a high risk for a blood clot, oral estrogen is more effective and protective.

Answer: True, but only if you have had a heart attack or stroke. If you have not had a heart attack or stroke, then absolutely not. Recent studies demonstrate that aspirin benefits women only if you have had a prior incident. But aspirin is of no benefit in prevention if you have never had a heart attack or stroke. In fact, several studies show that aspirin might be harmful! 20,000 people die every year from bleeding or hemorrhaging while taking aspirin. Summary: if you have had a prior heart attack or stroke, then you should be taking aspirin. If you have not, you should not take aspirin and you should be on oral estrogen for maximal cardiovascular protection.

Answer: Absolutely False. In our experience, creams are inconsistently absorbed and often should be applied 2-3 times a day in order to maintain adequate levels. Most women can’t be compliant with this regimen. Optimal levels of progesterone are particularly important because of the breast and uterine protection. Two recent studies demonstrated that progesterone cream was not strong enough to protect against uterine cancer. Optimal levels are best obtained with sublingual or oral progesterone which then protects against breast cancer and uterine cancer. Studies demonstrate that the higher the level, the better the protection. Where would you like your levels to be?

Answer: We continue to look at the information about saliva testing. There is no scientific evidence or basis for using saliva levels over blood levels. There is some correlation between saliva levels and blood levels for evaluating baseline levels of hormones while not taking any hormones. This is not true when monitoring hormone levels while a person is taking hormones. Saliva levels can be high when blood levels are low. This can give a false confidence that your hormone doses are giving you levels that are protective when they usually are not. Therefore we should abide by the medical studies that give us the guidelines for hormone levels that are the most protective. These studies utilize blood levels and not saliva levels. We want to achieve these protective blood levels that are well documented in all our medical studies for maximum breast and uterine protection. If you do not achieve and maintain these protective levels your hormone program will not provide optimal protection and puts you at risk.

Answer: There is no scientific evidence that estriol prevents breast cancer nor protects against heart disease, bone loss, or Alzheimer’s disease. In fact, estriol is an end-stage metabolite of estradiol and provides only very weak symptom improvement and no protective benefits. Therefore estriol has minimal beneficial effect in comparison to estradiol which is the primary estrogen. Estriol’s primary beneficial effect is on the skin. Estradiol has been shown to provide the most protection and therefore is the estrogen of choice. (Multiple studies have demonstrated a decrease in breast cancer incidence when progesterone (not progestin) is added, but not estriol).

Answer: True. The FDA approval process for synthetic drugs is meant to prove that a drug is effective for the purpose intended, is absorbed properly, and maintains adequate serum levels to guarantee efficacy. These conventional, manufactured drugs are standardized and guaranteed to have a certain consistency and effectiveness. So how do we know that the prescriptions compounded by hand in compounding pharmacies are consistent and effective? We test levels in our patients and assure that the hormones prescribed consistently provide protective levels. The medical studies demonstrate exactly where the hormone levels should be for maximum protection. Every doctor prescribing compounded bioidentical hormones should abide by these scientific standards in order to assure the optimal protection for the patient. If we are seeing a pattern of poor levels, we question the pharmacy on the source of their pure ingredients and their compounding process. Compounding pharmacies can dispense different grades of hormones from different suppliers, but we must assure through serum testing that what is being dispensed provides exact amounts of hormones and efficacy.