Preventative Medicine Clinic

Health

BIOLOGICS

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One of the most recent exciting and promising areas of science has been the study and use of our own human cellular tissues in the healing and prevention of injury and disease known as BIOLOGICS. Some examples are stem cells (MSC), exosomes, and amniotic fluid.

STEM CELLS

In the United States embryonic stem cells (ESC’s) are not used for treatment because of ethical and legal issues.

Autograft: The recipient and the donor are the same person. These stem cells are most commonly obtained from adipose(fat) tissue or bone marrow.

Allograft: Cell products are now available in the United States. They are products that are processed and stored in laboratories that are inspected by the FDA. These stem cells can be from umbilical cord and placenta from healthy mothers and their newborn infants in the United States. These mothers and infants are extensively tested to insure no infectious diseases are present in the mother and infant.

EXOSOMES

These are like tiny packages within the mesenchymal stem cells. They are like a tiny gift within a gift. They are the main signalling or communicator in our bodies. They talk to the other cells to share information and communicate messages of healing, repair, and regeneration to the organs and tissues of the body. This product is used in IV (systemic applications and via Injections. Preventative Medicine @ Bend is please to announce this treatment will be available at our clinic.

AMNIOTIC FLUID

This is pure amniotic fluid liquid allograft derived from donated human placental amniotic fluid. This cell product contains hundreds of growth factor, cytokines, proteins,and other naturally occuring nutrients which enable and maximize the potential of endogenous cells that in turn promote cellular repair and regeneration. This product is often used as a non-steroidal joint injection to reduce pain, and inflammation and encourage repair.

Testimony:

In December 2017 I fell on my right shoulder whilst playing ice skating tag with my hockey playing nephews in Canada. I severely injured my shoulder. My upper body workouts were cancelled as I underwent treatment for my right shoulder. 6 months passed, and I felt I was not getting the healing and repair of the tissues expected from my PT, focused exercises etc. During my training in IM (intramuscular) and joint injections and IV biologics in Sedona with Dr. Lanchbury I was offered an opportunity to receive an amniotic fluid injection in my right shoulder. I took the injection. 3 months later i was back in the gym doing full body workouts once again. This personal experience has motivated me to bring these treat ment options to Bend.

CATCHING STEM CELLS (Special thank you to Dr. Forest Lanchbury for helpful contributions for this article)

I initially became interested in stem cell science and clinical application as I attended a seminar for doctors where the results that were presented were amazing. I wanted to learn more and I developed an ardent desire to help my patients with this new treatment modality. What I have discovered is that the discipline of regenerative medicine includes many distinct aspects of application. Stem cells and the products of stem cells are the major way that replacement of old, or injured cells and tissue occurs. Regenerative medicine includes anything that enables the body to renew and repair itself. Stem cells can both renew themselves and create new cells of whatever tissue they belong to and in many cases other tissues. Bone marrow stem cells, for example, are the most primitive cells in the marrow. From them all the diverse types of blood cells are descended. Bone marrow stem cell transfusions (or transplants) were originally given to replace different types of blood cells. Another very important aspect of stem cells is that they secrete individual substances or packages that can influence other stem cells or mature cells that encounter these substances or packages. These packages are called exosomes. The influence that they have on other cells is called a paracrine effect. These exosomes contain messenger RNA and micro RNA and inform the targeted cells to transcribe certain growth factors and other factors that lead to renewal and regeneration.

TYPES OF STEM CELLS
Stem cells are often classified on the basis of what their potential is, or how many different tissues can one stem cell potentially form. Following this classification we call them Totipotent, Pluripotent and Multipotent. Examples of these types of stem cells are the following; I. Totipotent: Egg Plus Sperm forms a zygote which is a stem cell that can develop into a complete organism II. Pluripotent: The early embryo stem cells which can form all the different germ layers in the body, which means they can form any tissue, but not the complete organism. III. Multipotent: These are adult stem cells. They are found mainly in fat and bone marrow in the adult but also other areas like the heart (cardiac stem cells). The major example of adult stem cells are mesenchymal stem cells which originate from the mesenchyme tissue in the embryo. These mesenchymal stem cells or abbreviated MSCs are the main cells we use for stem cell therapies. In the United States embryonic stem cells (ESCs) are not used for treatments because of ethical and legal issues. Embryonic stem cells are very potent and can develop into any tissue in the body. On the one hand their potency makes them very attractive, but on the other hand this makes them quite difficult to control and they can develop into types of tumors like teratomas. Teratomas contain all the germ layers found in the embryo, so they often contain teeth and hair, vascular tissue and nerve tissue. Teratomas are a totally disorganized growth of all the tissue layers. Much of the current research is focusing on getting better control of the ESCs before they can be routinely used in therapies. One way to get around the embryonic stem cell problem is to try and induce a cell to become like a ESC and then use this cell to form specific tissues . These cells are called: Induced pluripotent stem cells, or iPSCs. iPSCs are genetically reprogrammed cells, iPSCs are almost exclusively used in research. This brings us back to the adult stem cell that we are able to use today for stem cell therapies, the adult stem cell, or MSCs.

SOURCES OF ADULT STEM CELLS
Adult stem cells or MSCs a can be obtained from the same individual that is receiving treatment. This stem cell treatment is called an autograft (self to self). The cells can also be obtained from one individual and then transplanted in a different individual, and is called an allograft. Taking stem cells from fat or bone marrow and then transplanting those cells in the same person they were obtained from is therefore an autograft, or the cells would be referred to as autologous stem cells. Taking stem cells from the umbilical cord, or placenta and transplanting the cells in another person would be an allograft. In both the autograft and the allograft the cells are MSCs since they originated from mesenchymal tissue in the embryo.

AUTOGRAFT STEM CELL TREATMENTS
These stem cells are most commonly obtained from fat (adipose) tissue or bone marrow. In the case of adipose derived stem cells, a liposuction procedure must be performed and then the fat processed to isolate the stem cells from the fat. There is a lot of fibrous tissue in fat and vascular tissue and must be removed. The stem cells are mostly attached to the very small blood vessels (capillaries) in the fat. They are called pericytes when attached in this manner. There are two ways to isolate stem cells from fat. One is with an enzyme called cellulase and the other is without the enzyme. The FDA is not fond of the cellulase enzyme usage as they feel it can cause damage to the stem cells during processing and may also damage the tissue when injected if not completely removed. Therefore, efforts are now directed at processing the fat without the use of cellulase enzyme to isolate the stem cells. Bone Marrow is obtained by aspiration, usually at the posterior iliac crest area in the pelvic bone. Bone marrow derived stem cells have been studied the most in stem cell treatment of knee osteoarthritis. There are definite advantages and disadvantages to both. Generally bone marrow has less stem cells per gram of tissue then fat does. As a person gets older there are less stem cells in bone marrow. Stem cells also decrease in fat, but not to the extent they decrease in the bone marrow. Both adipose derived and bone marrow derived stem cells loose there proliferative capacity as a person ages. That is to say, the MSCs slow down and don’t divide as much. There are also less growth factors in the older aspirates. This means the paracrine effect explained above is attenuated with age. Both fat and bone marrow harvesting require invasive procedures. They both carry risks of infection, pain and post operative swelling. In some cases fluid collections occur following fat aspiration that require draining. Scarring can also occur.

ALLOGRAFT STEM CELL TREATMENT
Allograft cells are obtained most commonly from either umbilical cord, placenta amnion membrane or both. Only recently have these cells become available to regenerative medical physicians. This has created an explosion in stem cell treatments through out the USA. The labs that produce the products are required to be inspected by the FDA and must show proof of arduous testing for infectious diseases in the harvested tissue. They can then sell the products to physicians who use the the products for stem cell treatments. (2018) marks the 30th anniversary of the first successful umbilical cord blood (UCB) transplantation performed in France in Oct. 1988 in a child with Fanconi Anemia. So umbilical cord blood has been used for a long time and has proven to be safe when proper precautions are taken. The FDA has approved umbilical cord blood for treatment of of patients with blood cancers such as leukemias and lymphomas, as well as certain disorders of the blood and immune systems, such as sickle cell disease and Wiskott- Aldrich syndrome. That being said , they have not approved UCB for any other treatments. Human stem cells from umbilical cord have extensive engrafting capability that exceeds that of adult bone marrow. in addition the cells can be frozen for more than 20 years with very efficient post thaw survival numbers. Cells from human umbilical cord and placenta do not usually cause a reaction in the body called graft versus host disease (GvHD) and exact match is not necessary for several reasons. Because they have an age of just nine months, Umbilical cord blood (UCB) cells have underdeveloped HLA markers (these are markers that stimulate the immune system), so you don’t need a close match with UCB cells to avoid the immune response. Because UCB mismatches are widely tolerated in patients, it’s possible for patients to use umbilical cord blood derived stem cells and their signaling molecules to enjoy a greatly reduced risk of GvHD or a tissue rejection event.

STEM CELL PRODUCTS
These products include growth factors and cell signaling molecules. This also includes exosomes produced by stem cells which are 40-200 nanometers and contain Messenger Ribonucleic acid (mRNA) that sends messages to other cells to produce growth factors and healing substances. Exosomes can be used to treat injured and diseased tissues. These stem cell products are powerful and can be concentrated by sequential ultracentrifugation and micro filters. Exosomes are derived from multivesicles. They are present in almost all body fluids. Exosomes from mesenchymal stem cells contain messages from those stem cells to communicate messages of regeneration and renewal to body systems and organs in need of repair. This can result in miraculous healings, such as burn victims healing without scarring, like this deep 2nd degree burn. https://kimeralabs.com/

OTHER REGENERATIVE THERAPIES
In addition to stem cells and stem cell products there are other interventions that assist and attract stem cells which leads to regeneration of diseased and injured tissue. One of the first regenerative therapies was platelet rich plasma. Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) : This can be a very effective treatment all by itself or as an adjunctive treatment to stem cell therapies. PRP acts like a magnet and is a fertilizer for stem cells. Many stem cell procedures work best when a diseased or injured joint is first injected with PRP. The procedure is quite simple to carry out. Blood is drawn from the patient and then spun down using centrifugation separating the blood from the serum. On the top of the red blood cells are white blood cells and floating above them are the platelets. Above the platelets is platelet poor plasma (PPP)

Platelets, are an important reservoir of growth factors in the body and play an important role in many processes such as coagulation, immune response, making new blood vessels, and healing damaged tissues. PRP also contains a few circulating stem cells although it’s not a major source for stem cells in the body. When PRP is injected into the body it activates platelets which release several healing factors. Most of these are types of growth factors such as platelet derived growth factor, vascular endothelial growth factor, transforming growth factor and several others. These growth factors can be used to heal wounds such as chronic skin ulcers and for healing injured tissues and joints. PRP is also used in anesthetics for improving hair growth and treating the aging face.

Platelet Poor Plasma (PPP) also contains growth factors. One very interesting and effective healing component of platelet poor plasma is Alpha 2 macroglobulin (A2M). It is one of the largest plasma proteins and inhibits damaging proteases in the joint

A 2 M can be concentrated from the PPP and injected in joints to help the affected joint heal. There is a test developed now that can tell you if a patient will get relief from an A2M injection. The test is called a FACS test. A positive test on aspirated joint fluid means there is a 90 percent chance the patient will get relief from an A2M injection. A2M can be used like PRP prior to stem cell injections to help clean up a chronically inflamed joint and make the chosen stem cell therapy more effective.

Prolozone : This is a technique that combines concepts from neural therapy, Prolotherapy, and ozone therapy. It involves injecting various combinations of procaine, anti-inflammatory medications/homeopathics, vitamins, minerals, proliferating agents, and a mixture of ozone/oxygen gas into degenerated or injured joints, and into areas of pain. The result of this combination is nothing short of remarkable in that damaged tissues can be regenerated, and otherwise untreatable pain can be relieved and even cured in some cases. An excellent explanation about prolozone therapy can be found here; http://journalofprolotherapy.com/prolozoneregenerating- joints-and-eliminating-pain/

Ozone combined with P R P is very powerful for regeneration. The injured tissue can be energized with ozone and the cells increase oxygen utilization to heal and repair.

THE FUNCTIONAL APPROACH TO REGENERATIVE MEDICINE
Functional Medicine is a systems biology–based approach that focuses on identifying and addressing the root cause of disease. Each symptom or differential diagnosis may be one of many contributing to an individual’s illness. Regenerative procedures will work much better when we take the functional holistic approach to the patient. This means a careful review of the patient’s history and all the contributing factors to their underlying condition that could be helped by stem cells or a regenerative procedure. The illustration above illustrates all the possible root causes of a patient’s illness. Ideally the roots of the illness should be identified and addressed before administering the regenerative treatment. For example, since we know hormone imbalances, nutritional deficiencies and intestinal diseases have a major contribution to inflammation these should be identified through history and diagnostic testing. Then conditions such as intestinal inflammation, hormone deficiencies and vitamin mineral deficiencies can be corrected prior to the procedure. The patient then has a much better chance for a positive outcome and their money was well spent. Simple things like at least a 14 day detoxification program and correction of vitamin D and omega 3 deficiencies can have a huge impact on success. Stem cells have to eat too and don’t do well in toxic environments. They need the proper fats and amino acids and vitamins to perform well. I have treated hundreds of patients. Without a doubt the patients that have done the best, have implemented the nutritional support got serious about detoxification, balanced their hormones and continued with lifestyle changes. I am very concerned about the direction I see medicine going today. Unfortunately it has seems inevitable that regulatory agencies are going to step in and tell us how we will practice medicine. In the future it is very probable that only stem cells approved for specific indications will be allowed. Big Pharma will have the patents, synthetic cells like iPSCs will have control and the price will go up a hundred times or more. I believe there will still be preventative therapies we can use like ozone, nutritional support, metabolic balance and endocrine optimization. If we combine these therapies with a healthy lifestyle they work very well.

H.E.A.R.T. Physiologic Balance and Aging

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Through Hormone Endocrine Anti-Aging Replacement Therapy

Learn how integrating cutting edge therapies with your current medical program can make you LOOK, ACT, FEEL and BE 10 – 15 YEARS YOUNGER.

I have seen a pattern in older people over my many years of practice – bent over, frail, forgetful, and suffering from age-related illness that for many seems an unavoidable fate. This type of thinking is illogical and unacceptable to me and I would hope and encourage for you as well. Is survival truly enough? Is adding years to your life more important than adding life to your years? For me, it is the quality of life I lead that impacts me more than the longevity I survive and so I strive break my family tradition of early demise and death.

MISCONCEPTIONS AND A RAY OF HOPE:
I believe (along with others) that the saddest and most deceptive bit of information taught to us starting in our thirties, is that arthritis, cognitive
dysfunction, memory decline, physical pains, emotional swings, energy and muscle losses are “NORMAL”. Are we supposed to fall prey to Osteoporosis, Heart Disease, Alzheimer’s and Cancer? And, are we to be comfortable with and accepting of the fact that no one lives forever and more importantly, that no one lives healthy and happily ever after? As a doctor and a patient I find this kind of apathy frustrating yet I am excited to say that there is a rainbow amongst these clouds of preconceived doom and your pot of gold (your renewed health and youth) awaits you.

Aging Begins in our Minds:
Our beliefs about the onset of old age have evolved as life expectancy has lengthened. Several studies have shown that the body is designed to live well over a century yet so few of us find it “natural” or even possible to live beyond eighty or ninety. Everyday we hear of people living beyond a century, in fact, in recent national news, a 106-year-old female was advertising for a suitable male partner to court her in her first marriage!

Stats: In 1950 there were 2,500 centenarians (people over the age of 100). The extended prediction is that by year 2050 there will be an estimated 33 million
in the 65 to 74-year-old age group, 31 million in the 75-84-year-old age group, 16 million in the 85 to 99-year-old age group, and 2.5 million in the 100 plus age group.

We Age as a Result of a Decline in Hormone Levels Not Visa-Versa:
Although it is true that with the development of technology our high stress, toxin-filled environment and diet prematurely age us, I think, no believe, no scratch that, I know our individual processes of aging carries a greater element of choice than we are willing to assume and take responsibility for. There are many powerful ways to slow down the aging process such as: lifestyle changes to include enzyme-rich food, exercise, clean air, meditation, stress management, loving relationships, sleep,creativity and H.E.A.R.T. Hormones are the keys to our health. It is important to note for the thorough understanding of H.E.A.R.T. (Hormone-Endocrine-Anit Again Replacement Therapy), it is the balance as well as the absolute levels of these hormones that determines our fate. We now have the capability and technology to live a healthier, younger and more fruitful life than we are currently experiencing regardless of our age or health problems. I encourage you to take the first step and take charge of your health and begin to live the way that you were programmed to. That is, living a healthy life free of illness and disease until your ninth or tenth decade and maybe even longer. Than and only then, smoothly, respectably and painlessly fall into the hands of fate before you reach eternity.

Hormones Aren’t Just for Women:
It is not only women who go through hormonal shifts i.e. menopause. Men with the proverbial “midlife crisis” actually are going through the female equivalent of menopause known as ANDROPAUSE (also sometimes referred to as MAN-O –PAUSE). By correcting these imbalances/deficiencies with BIO-IDENTICAL HORMONES one reaps great benefits in terms of quality of life.

I just want to feel better but how?

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Have you been experiencing weight gain, mood swings, sleep disorders, low or absent sex drive, memory disorder, the feeling of being tired or sluggish?

Have you been told that you have chronic fatigue, depression, thyroid disorder or fibromyalgia?

These and a host of other very common health problems can usually be traced to underlying deficiencies or imbalances of hormones in the body. Our bodies’ hormones must be in proper balance and harmony for us to function properly and feel our best. In fact, it is the imbalance and insufficiency of these hormones that cause us to age.

That’s right, we age because our hormones decline, not vice versa.

Rebalancing our bodies’ hormones with safe and natural Bio-Identical Hormone Therapy has shown tremendous health benefits that can often correct the health problems mentioned above while allowing us to live longer, age more gracefully, and with better health. This is precisely what Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) is all about. CAM treats the whole body as a system to restore balance and ideal function, and to eliminate disease at the root. This is not like the usual medical approach where a patient reports a symptom and the doctor prescribes a drug to suppress that symptom – without addressing the imbalances that are at the root of the problem. CAM has given hope, health and relief to many patients who were being
treated unsuccessfully for their symptoms.

Because Bio-Identical Hormones are exact clones of the hormones produced and metabolized within the body, the risks that are associated with “synthetic hormone treatments” are not seen. Benefits of Bio-Identical Hormones include increased sex drive, improved sleep, improved exercise tolerance, improved muscle tone and weight loss, improvement in memory, reduced risk of cancer and heart disease and more.

Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Bioidentical hormones offer a natural, effective way to supplement hormone levels and treat symptoms of hormone imbalance without the reported side effects of conventional HRT.

In Depth: Hypothyroidism
Subclinical Hypothyroidism is a state of underactive thyroid gland activity that is not detected by conventional laboratory means. Well over 65% of the cases of hypothyroidism go undetected for years until the patient is so ill with symptoms that they themselves suggest the diagnosis to the doctor. All too often, physicians miss the diagnosis of hypothyroidism despite several classic symptoms because they rely solely on a single predetermined lab value (TSH) that was established over 50 years ago! In response to this, the Endocrinology Society Association of America revised the diagnostic levels of TSH thus “allowing” for more people to meet the criteria for diagnosis of hypothyroidism. Actually, subclinical hypothyroidism can be diagnosed by an astute physician through physical examination, patient based symptomatology, and evaluation of urine temperatures. Lab values should just be used as an aid in the diagnosis rather than the key to diagnosis. There have been advances in lab evaluation utilizing saliva, which is much less expensive than blood testing, but the key factor in testing is to be sure that your doctor obtains levels of both free T3 and free T4. These measure the actual thyroid hormones rather than the messenger brain hormone (TSH) currently used as the gold standard in conventional medicine.

Treatment is directed at supplementing what is missing. Traditional physicians most often prescribe Synthroid or Levoxyl, which is strictly T4. T4 is the most abundant thyroid hormone but it is not very active. T3, which comprises less than 15% of all the thyroid hormone in the body, is the active hormone. T3 is what is responsible for preventing, treating, and reversing symptoms of hypothyroidism. I prefer to use animal-based desiccated thyroid hormone containing both T3 and T4 in a ratio that is physiologic to the body. Also available is a synthetic non-animal based combination with a similar ratio of T3/T4. Each has their role and treatment should be individualized.

Untreated hypothyroidism can significantly affect quality of life and lead to misdiagnoses since many doctors attribute the constellation of patient symptoms to Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Fibromyalgia, Lyme disease and most unfortunately and too frequently, Depression. Don’t let yourself be a victim of this easily treatable disease. If you think you fit some of the criteria mentioned in this article, insist that the diagnosis be entertained.

For more information about hypothyroidism call us at 541-383-3424

Hot Ozone Therapy

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From pacemakers to artificial hearts and limbs to stem cells, America has found its rank in the world health league for being an innovator of medical technology. Unfortunately, the cost of these medical therapies prohibit those who would benefit most from obtaining them thus contributing to one of the several reasons our country- USA, ranks 38th in world healthcare. But what would you say to the idea of steering away from conventional medical thinking and open your eyes and minds to therapies that are considered “alternative” or “outside the box”? You know, medical modalities that offer a cure for an underlying condition rather than a Band-Aid to mask the symptoms of disease?

Specifically, I am referring to the use of oxygen to enhance the treatment and cure of nearly every medical condition known to man. Ozone is a form of Bio-Oxidative Therapy which simply means that we are introducing oxygen into the body. Of the various vehicles used to expose the body to ozone, the topical, rectal and intravenous routes are the most commonly prescribed.

 

Hot Ozone can deliver a nuclear warhead to the ailing body ridding it of nearly every toxin, inflammatory invader, autoimmune disorder or chronic condition the body may develop and do so safely at a concentration of ozone that is more than 10 times what was previously recognized as safe.  It has miraculous healing effects for ailments ranging from allergies, arthritis, cancer, Lyme disease and everything in between.

 

Are interested in investing in your health and obtaining this therapy whether it be for enhancing a weakened immune system, improving overall energy, treating an established acute or chronic medical condition or just as a prophylactic therapy to ensure health, longevity and quality of life?

Bio-Oxidative Therapy

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Currently at Preventative Medicine @ Bend we offer two Ozone therapies.

  1. MAH: MAJOR AUTO- HEMOTHERAPY This procedure involves introducing ozone into your blood by removing blood via an IV catheter in a vein connected to a sterile bag of saline containing approximately 250 cc. of sterile saline. This is a closed sterile system. Ozone is then introduced into the blood/saline mix, and then under gravity is infused back into the patient.  This prodecure takes approximately 45 minutes.  The effect last approximately 72 hours. This procedure is indicated in: infections, eg, Lyme, herpes,  fungal, viral and bacterial, and inflammation (eg. MS) This therapy is often done with UV light.  UV therapy has a 100 year history. In the early 1900 ’s a Danish physician won the NOBEL PRIZE for using UV light to treat infection.It improves the functions of our blood in pour bodies; oxygen carrying capacity, cell count, normalizing clotting, decreasing viscosity, increasing blood volume.  It inhibits Bacteria, viruses and decreases the inflammatory process.Ozone + UV may be very effective in treating infections, cancer, diabetes and circulatory disorders.
  2. HYPERBARIC BIO-OXIDATIVE THERAPY (HOT OZONE, or TEN PASS)  This is OZONE treatment under pressure. Ozone attaches to the Red Blood Cells and plasma. Current studies are underway in Europe attempting to prove the ozone instigates or stimulates the bodies to produce its own stem cells. The treatment takes approximately an hour. The effects of Hyperbaric ozone lasts approximately 7 days after treatment. There are currently less than 2 dozen physicians in the US offering this procedure. Other ozone therapies include: Sinus injections, prolozone ( ozone injected into soft tissues and/or joints) rectal, bladder, and vaginal ozone. Limb bagging is done more specifically to treat wound infections of limbs often seen in diabetes and/or MERSA.

A Brief History of Hormone Replacement Therapy

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Due to today’s longer life spans, women can expect to spend a third of their life — or more — in their postmenopausal years.

While the women of yesteryear were forced to “grin and bear it” when it came to hot flashes, night sweats, irritability, and mood swings, the arrival of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) in the 1960s liberated millions of women from “l’enfer des femmes” (a woman’s hell).

The Early Promise of Estrogen

In 1966, Robert A. Wilson, M.D.’s book, Feminine Forever, informed women that “menopause is completely preventable” and advised them to take estrogen. The promise of remaining “feminine forever” was met with enthusiasm, and synthetic estrogen became the standard therapy for women undergoing “the change.”

When it later became obvious that estrogen encourages the growth of the uterine lining, which could increase the risk of cancer, the medical community suggested progesterone to protect the uterus. But rather than combine natural, bioidentical progesterone (which is identical to the progesterone produced in the body) with estrogen, pharmaceutical companies added progestin, a synthetic form of progesterone that was patentable.

Synthetic Hormones Hit the Scene

As a result, Prempro was born. It combined synthetic progesterone (progestin) with Premarin, a drug composed of three estrogens (estrone, equilin, and equilenin) that are derived from horse urine. These horse estrogens (also called CEE) are natural but not bioidentical to those found in the human body.

While the drugs relieved menopausal symptoms for millions of women, the long-term effects were unknown. That changed in 2002  when the results of the Women’s Health Initiative (WHI) came out.

The study, which included over 16,000 postmenopausal women, found the combination of non-bioidentical estrogen and progestin to significantly increase the risk of breast cancer and heart attack.1 It also found an increased risk of stroke in non-bioidentical estrogen users.2

Here is a summary of other findings:

  • The risk of dying from breast cancer almost doubled among Prempro users in comparison to those taking a placebo.
  • Among those taking estrogen plus progestin, the death rate from breast cancer almost doubled in comparison with the placebo group.3
  • Overall, there was a 25 percent increase in the risk of invasive breast cancer in non-bioidentical HRT users.
  • The use of CEE was associated with a reduced risk of hip fractures.
  • Estrogen/progestin users had a reduced risk of hip fracture and colorectal cancer in comparison with users of a placebo.

Because of these study results, female hormone replacement therapy became a sinking ship that women began abandoning in droves. However, the WHI’s findings have recently been called into question.

Bioidentical Hormones Are a Safer Option

Bioidentical hormones, which have the same molecular structure as the hormones produced in the body, have actually been shown to have a protective effect against some diseases, including those whose risk is increased by non-bioidentical hormones.

In a study, women who used non-bioidentical estrogen and progestin had a 69% greater risk of developing invasive breast cancer over an eight-year period in comparison with non-HRT users. Those who used bioidentical estrogen and progesterone experienced a similar risk as non-HRT users.4

References:

1. JAMA. 2002 Jul 17;288(3):321-33.
2. JAMA. 2004 Apr 14;291(14):1701-12.
3. JAMA 2010; 304(15):1684–1692.
4. Breast Cancer Res Treat. 2008 Jan;107(1):103-11.