All the hype on bio-identical hormones worries me…

Bio-identical hormones can make a significant difference in men and women’s lives. 

Yes, Andrew Huberman’s podcast interview with Dr. Marie Claire Haver and the hormone replacement therapy myths are all true. 

The Women’s Health Initiative study, referenced over and over again for the connection between HRT and cancer was misinterpreted. 

Recent research supports how beneficial bio-identical hormone replacement (bio-HRT) therapy can be.

I’d really like to see is a survey of all doctors who have prescribed bio-identical hormones for the last decade and their take-a-ways.

Now you’d get a real life based example of how bio-HRT works in the body.

I’ve been using bio-HRT in my practice for over a decade.

In that time there has been a lot of changes in the standards of use and recommendations. 

Being a naturopathic doctor I’m trained to consider herbs and all natural routes prior to using higher level interventions like bio-identical hormones.

Truth is – the bio-identical hormones work. 

Faster and more reliably than herbs. 

What worries me about the hype on bio-identical hormones is it’s being touted as a quick fix all to hormone issues. 

I wish they were as magical as described with quick results. 

Once in a while they will work well on the first try but usually dosages have to be adjusted along with lifestyle factors.

Look at the peptides Ozempic (Semaglutide) and Mounjaro (Tirzepatide) – quick fixes for weight loss. 

Yes, they work – IF – you can tolerate them. 

Same goes for bio-identical hormones. 

I’m often the doc that people go to when standard hormone dosing doesn’t work. 

There are some key factors being overlooked when it comes to bio-identical hormones.

Just because you’re noticing symptoms of low estradiol or progesterone doesn’t mean if you add it to your system it’s going to embrace it like your best friend you haven’t seen in years. 

• If you had heavy periods, breast tenderness or extreme moodiness it’s possible you struggled to detox estrogens.
• Liver or cell hormone detox issues do not disappear just because your hormones declined or your period stopped. 

When you add in hormones your system is going to go back to it’s default mechanism of processing them.

So when your period comes back, your breasts are swollen, and you’ve got acne popping out like a teenager when you add estrogens don’t be surprised. 

Even women who figure they are safe because they’ve had a hysterectomy can end up with signs of excess estrogen. 

You have to go back and figure – why did you get the hysterectomy in the first place?

Heavy periods, periods that won’t stop and severe menstrual cramps aren’t signs there’s something wrong with your uterus.

They are signs of excess estrogen and taking out the uterus is a bandaid. 

If you had or have a diagnosis of endometriosis you’re more likely to have issues tolerating hormones.

Endometriosis isn’t just a uterus and overgrowth of tissue issue it’s also heavily related to microbiome imbalances and excessive re-absorption of estrogen through the colon. 

Progesterone can build up in the liver and cells as well causing cystic acne and total body puffiness.

No one wants to gain weight on top of the belly fat they are already stressed about. 

Even testosterone replacement can have negative side effects like hair loss and acne…

…if the detox pathways are not addressed. 

50% of the population has a methylation defect aka MTHFR mutation. 

The methylation pathway is used to detox hormones. 

B12, folate, choline, SAM-e, magnesium are just a few of the co-factors that could be deficient keeping someone from detoxing optimally. 

Never mind a bogged down liver from a glass of wine a night habit, junk food or processed food with chemicals. 

Many women and men have a gut microbiome that is primed to over-absorb estrogens versus eliminate them.

Humans are already exposed to 80,000+ chemicals a day.

If you’re not filtering your water to an advanced degree, your fridge filter, doesn’t count, your liver is busy detoxing all the chemicals 24/7.

What do you think will happen if you add hormones into the mix?

I’m afraid the addition of so many people taking hormones but not addressing all of the modes of detox may lead to a rise in cancer.

Not because of the hormones but because the hormones are being added to a toxic body. 

Breast cancers can be estrogen or progesterone positive in nature. 

Anyone who has a biopsy has the tissue tested for these types of receptor sensitivity as well as genetic sensitivity. 

The most common receptor to show up in a tumor?

Estrogen. 

There are plastic and chemical estrogen receptor binding toxins in the food, air and water you are exposed to. 

If you’re going to add bio-identical hormones you want to know how well you detox and how to optimize your detox pathways. 

I’m not afraid to use hormones when all the background work is done.

• The DUTCH test is a dried urine test to identify hang ups in how you metabolize hormones via the gut, liver and cells. 
• Saliva hormone testing tells you what hormones are in your tissues to know what your body is hanging onto. 
• Blood hormones show you what’s in your blood in the moment. 

Yes, these numbers flux on the daily BUT you can hone in on this based on charting your symptoms for at least 2 months. 

Women cycle with the new or full moon by a few days. 

If you don’t have a period see where your symptoms flare up related to the moon cycles. 

The more you know about your body and how you detox the better prepared you’ll be to tolerate hormone replacement therapy.  

Hormone clinics are popping up in strip malls everywhere.

Men and women are being given dosages of hormones that are 5x or more what their body would have made when they were at the peak of hormone production.

Sure it may feel great for a few weeks but when the detox pathways bog down…

…symptoms can mount and you can feel really awful. 

You may be tempted to blame the hormones and swear off something that may benefit you.

Or worse your habits combined with the excessive hormones may hijack your detox pathways and you might end up with cancer.

Not because of the hormones but because the body couldn’t detox everything coming in.

These are all realities I see in my office. 

Hormone replacement therapy can give a man or woman their life back.

They are powerful and need to be used wisely.

Arm yourself with the knowledge of what you need to prepare to use hormones.

Consider taking time to detox and ensure your gut, liver and cells are working optimally before you embark on starting hormones or at least while you get on a starting dose. 

Start low and go up slow till you find your sweet spot. 

Work with a doctor that understands all the intricacies of bio-HRT and who is open to mixing herbs with hormones, micro-dosing and ensuring all your pathways are running optimally so you get maximum effect. 

Hormones aren’t a one sized fits all situation.

They aren’t a quick fix in many cases. 

The better you know your body the better you can guide your bio-HRT journey. 

If you’re open to guidance I’m going to be hosting a free masterclass the 2nd week of August – stay tuned!

Here’s to your hormone health,

Dr. J

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