History of HRT
HRT has a complex history. It emerged in the 1960s as a revolutionary treatment for menopause symptoms. However, controversial studies in the early 90s and 2000s raised concerns about its safety, leading to widespread mistrust. But more recent research has refuted these initial conclusions, presenting HRT as a safe treatment when used appropriately.
Understanding the 1991-2005 Women’s Health Initiative Study
The original Women’s Health Initiative study, which ran from 1991-2005, suggested a link between HRT and cancer. But, since its release, the researchers have worked hard to clarify that their summaries about HRT were indeed flawed. This study employed a treatment known as Premarin – an estrogen-only treatment, derived from horses. While humans produce three types of estrogens (estradiol, estriol, and estrone), horses produce over 21 types. This means that a woman taking Premarin receives a combination of all 21 types of estrogens, including 18 that are not naturally produced by the human body. In contrast, bioidentical hormones are formulated to be identical in molecular structure to those already made in your body; this means replenishing hormones with bioidentical HRT is as close to your body’s natural process as possible.
What research shows about HRT today
In short, the bioidentical hormones used today are vastly different from those used in prior studies from the 90s and early 2000s. Many physicians in the OB/GYN and women’s healthcare fields have changed their tune on HRT in response to the updated information.