HRT: It's Not Hormones and It's not Therapy

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Adapted from Dr Al Sears, M.D.
Doctor's House Call Newsletter.
Used by permission.

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Have you heard of HRT?  Known as "hormone replacement therapy", it's one of the things they're calling "drugs for elders" these days.

The problem with HRT is that it's neither replacement nor therapy.  What I mean is this: The pharmaceutical products billed as HRT aren't hormones at all.  And so, by taking them, you're not actually replacing anything.

But, real hormones are available.  They're called bio-identical hormones.  They are safe, when used appropriately, and they are very inexpensive.  But, being inexpensive is a problem.

Where the money is, they will follow

You see, real hormones are produced by your body.  Therefore, they are naturally-occurring.  If something occurs in nature, it can't be patented.  (To patent something, you have to prove that you invented or created something exclusive or new.)  If a drug company can't patent a therapy, they can't corner the market, meaning that other companies are free to produce the same drug at a lower price.  Competition drives down prices and, as a result, profits fall far below what drug companies are accustomed to.

Big drug companies don't produce bio-identical hormones, because there's no money in it.  But, that hasn't stopped them from claiming they have "replacement hormones".

So called "replacement hormones"

Take the prescription drug Provera, as an example.  It's billed as "progesterone replacement".  In truth, years of research — and hundreds of millions of dollars — were spent to find a drug that was different enough from progesterone to be patentable … even though progesterone was already inexpensive and available.

Drug maker Upjohn won the race with the development of medroxyprogesterone acetate, which is known by the name Provera.  And they won big.  In its day, Provera was one of the ten most profitable drugs of all time.

But, like the other synthetic chemicals billed as HRT, medroxyprogesterone acetate is not a hormone, and never occurs naturally in your body.  It is a chemical created to mimic a hormone, so the pharmaceutical industry can be more profitable.

Provera is synthetic; your body never ever made it.  Am I the only one who thinks that you shouldn't call taking something you've never had before "replacement"?

A rose is a rose … and a drug is a drug

If they're not "replacement therapies", what should we call these pharmaceutical concoctions?  I don't think we need a new term.  We already have the word.  It's not what my father would call a "pearl-handled word:; but it's honest, accurate — and simple.  And we all already know what it means.  The word is drug.

I no longer use these drugs in my practice.  The alternatives are safer.  They range from herbal supplements to real hormone replacement.

If you want to replace declining hormones, the real ones are available.  We get them from compounding pharmacies.  A compounding pharmacist prepares customized prescription medications to meet individual patient needs.

Your doctor may not be familiar with compounding.  With the over reliance on pre-packaged drugs, it has become a bit of a lost art.  You can assist your doctor by finding a compounding pharmacist on your own.  Thankfully, there has been a recent resurgence fueled by the growing interest in natural alternatives.

A word of caution: Although bio-identical hormones are safer than drugs, hormone tinkering is tricky business.  Consult your doctor, have your levels checked and educate yourself before considering any kind of hormone therapy.

To help you with this, my friends at Total Health Breakthroughs have put together a special report on HRT … it's a must read.  It's called "What Your Doctor Won't Tell You about Hormone Replacement" by James LaValle, R.Ph, ND, CCN.

The side effects of HRT are severe.  They include higher risk of stroke, heart disease and blood clots.  But bio-identical hormones can dramatically improve your quality of life.  Many of my patients have the energy, vigor and sexual appetite they enjoyed in their 20s and 30s.

Your free report from Total Health Breakthroughs has the answers.  And, it won't cost you a dime.

To Your Good Health,

Al Sears, MD