Over the years, I have compiled a list of myths and misinformation commonly encountered about bioidentical hormones in newspapers and magazines. Here are a few of them, followed by the corrections.
The misinformation is in bold, with the correct information to follow.
Myth Number One: “The term bioidentical hormone is undefined and has no meaning.”
This is incorrect. Bioidentical is a term which is defined as having the exact same chemical structure as hormones found naturally in the human body. Bioidentical Hormones are the ones circulating in your blood stream right now.
Myth Number Two:“There is no proof that Bioidentical Hormones are safer and more effective than synthetic hormones…All of the evidence that we have suggests that all of these hormones should be painted with the same brush.”
This is incorrect and misleading. There exists a large body of science showing that synthetic chemically-altered hormones cause cancer and heart disease. On the other hand, medical studies have found bioidentical hormones are safe with no increase in breast cancer or heart disease compared to non-hormone users.
An excellent review of this medical science can be found in a 2009 article by Kent Holtorf MD in Postgraduate Medicine.
Myth Number Three:“Bioidentical Hormones are not FDA approved.”
This is blatantly incorrect. There are twenty or so FDA approved bioidentical hormone preparations widely available.
Myth Number Four: “Bioidentical Hormones made by compounding pharmacies are Non-FDA approved.”
This is not only incorrect, it is misleading and deceptive. Compounding pharmacies are regulated at the state level, and do not fall under FDA jurisdiction. So, of course compounding is not FDA approved. No FDA approval is required or even desired.
Your local hospital pharmacy is a compounding pharmacy that makes up life saving medication such as IV antibiotics with no FDA oversight or “approval”. The FDA approval process is designed for manufactured capsules and tablets, and is impractical and unnecessary for compounded medications prepared to order by hand.
Are we going to reject IV antibiotics from the hospital pharmacy because these are non-FDA approved compounded medication? Of course not. Compounding is here to stay.
Myth Number Five: “Unless a woman has symptoms of hot flashes and night sweats, she doesn’t need hormones.”
This is incorrect. In addition to night sweats and hot flashes, there are many other valid symptoms of hormone deficiency such as insomnia, cognitive dysfunction, menopausal arthritis, evaporative dry eye, anxiety, panic, mood disorder, vaginal dryness, and decreased libido and post hysterectomy.
These are all good indications for prescribing bioidentical hormones.
Myth Number Six:“The idea that menopause is a hormone deficiency disease was disproven, and the idea that hormone replacement rejuvenates youth, or prevents degenerative diseases is also disproven….Hormones decline with age, that is normal and does not require treatment.”
This is incorrect. There is no question that hormonal decline is a health risk. Three separate studies have shown low testosterone in males carries a 40% increase in mortality. Studies in females show the same findings, with low hormone levels in women after hysterectomy associated with increased mortality.
Hormonal decline is a direct cause of degenerative diseases of ageing, all of which may be prevented or partially reversed by replenishing hormone levels, a vastly more effective treatment which competes directly with the drug industry.
Myth Number Seven: “Hot flashes and sweats in menopausal women can be treated with SSRI antidepressants. They don’t need to use hormones.”
This is not only wrong, it is criminal. The use of SSRI antidepressants for menopausal symptoms is NOT FDA approved, and is a cruel mistreatment and medical victimization of women. This practice should be halted immediately.
Studies of SSRI drugs show they are no better than placebo for most cases of depression, and they are not much better than placebo for menopausal hot flashes. Synthetic hormones are bad enough, they cause cancer and heart disease. SSRI drugs are even worse; they are chemically addictive with horrendous withdrawal effects. Avoid becoming a medical victim. Stay away.
In Conclusion
It is time to awaken from the nightmare of synthetic hormones, known for decades to cause cancer and heart disease. You can put lipstick on a pig, but it is still a pig.
The drug industry can spin, deceive and mislead the medical journals and media. Yet, after all the lies and propaganda, synthetic hormones remain monsters that should be avoided.
Smart women have made the switch to safer and more effective bioidentical hormones. The future of medicine is your choice to make. Hopefully, this article has awakened you to the natural choice.
Disclaimer – The reader is advised to discuss the comments on these pages with his/her personal physicians and to only act upon the advice of his/her personal physician. Also note that concerning an answer which appears as an electronically posted question, I am NOT creating a physician — patient relationship. Although identities will remain confidential as much as possible, as I cannot control the media, I cannot take responsibility for any breaches of confidentiality that may occur.
More information:
To read more on Dr Dach’s work please visit his website below and you will find below helpful articles relating to this topic.
www.jeffreydach.com
https://www.bio-hormone-health.com/2018/01/26/myth-busting-bioidentical-hrt-and-cancer-risks/
https://www.bio-hormone-health.com/2018/03/05/transdermal-creams-confirmed-as-best-for-hormone-use/
Dame Dr Shirley Bond has commented that she is concerned re the debunking of myth 6. ‘I’ve always felt that it is completely wrong to consider the menopause as a hormone deficiency disease. While hormones do reduce, this is normal and should only be considered as a problem if severe symptoms or other conditions occur as a result. I’ve always believed that taking hormones even bioidentical ones if you don’t need them is potentially dangerous and although Dr Dach is an authority, he is not the ultimate one.’