Hormone Replacement

Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) for women is the treatment of hormonal imbalances, like those seen during peri-menopause and menopause. Women utilizing any kind of hormonal therapy should not assume that they are processing and eliminating their hormones properly. There are many environmental sources of estrogen that women are exposed to, that may add to a woman’s total estrogen load. Such sources of additional estrogen exposure are xenogenic sources such as exposure to pesticides and fungicides in our food supply, the consumption of meats and dairy products containing hormones, and exposure to estrogen like plasticizers found in plastic containers and bottles. These are just the first items from an extensive listing of potential toxic estrogenic agents. However, women are not the only ones who need to be concerned with excess estrogen accumulation and appropriate estrogen metabolism and elimination. Men can develop toxic build-ups of estrogen as well just from the normal metabolism of testosterone. The toxic build-up of estrogen in men has been associated with increased risk of prostate cancer and colon cancer.

A good nutritional foundation for men or women on HRT would include, a source of quality omega-3 essential fatty acids, a quality multiple vitamin, vitamin D and a good probiotic. But to ensure the elimination of estrogen from the body to minimize toxic build-up, nutritional products such as diindolymethane (DIM) or indole-3-carbinol (I3C) can be very helpful. BioDIM I-3-C Complex is a combination of both of these supplements that have been recognized to be helpful in this area.

Additionally, studies going back as far as the 1980s have recognized that estrogen supplementation of any kind can create drug-induced nutrient depletions, specifically a depletion of B-vitamins and folic acid. A complete B complex such as CoEnzyme-B or supplementation with the active metabolite of folic acid 5-MTHF 1000 mcg, should be utilized with any estrogen therapy to minimize adverse effects and developmental defects that can occur secondary to estrogen-mediated nutritional depletion.

Finally, for women who are facing menopause, but do not wish to use estrogen supplementation, products like Black Cohosh Plus and Menopause Support can provide a natural herbal approach to support healthy hormonal balance.