Breast cancer is one of the most treatable cancers if caught early.
In 2002, the Women's Health Initiative found that synthetic estrogen and progestin led to a significant increase in breast cancer risk. This led to a renewed interest in looking for natural ways to treat menopausal symptoms.
FDA Position
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the Endocrine Society state that although plant-derived hormones are an exact match for human hormones while synthetic hormones pose a documented increased risk for many health issues including breast cancer, they cannot endorse bioidentical hormones because they are not "regulated" yet.
Prescribers' Position
Practitioners who prescribe bioidentical hormones do so believing that they pose less of a risk than synthetics, which have been shown to increase the risk of breast cancer.
Phytoestrogens
Phytoestrogens are plant constituents that behave as estrogen in your body. The most commonly used phytoestrogens are soy based.
Progesterone
Progesterone is derived from soy or Mexican yams, although you should be sure the yam product has been completely processed. Check the ingredients list for USP Progesterone rather than simply yam extract.
The Science
A few studies have been done regarding BHRT and breast cancer risk. One, published by C. Campagnoli in the "Journal of Steroid Biochemistry and Molecular Biology," states that synthetic progestin increases the risk for breast cancer but natural progesterone does not.
Tags: bioidentical hormones, breast cancer, breast cancer, breast cancer risk, have been, risk breast
