estriol. The different estrogens have unique roles in the body. For
example, estradiol is the most stimulating to the breast, and is the
estrogen related to increased risk of breast cancer. Estriol protects
against breast cancer. Normal production of both by the body is the
right balance. A variety of benefits are attributed to the effects of nat-
ural estrogens, including prevention of hot flashes, better memory
and concentration, slowing of the aging process, and reduced depres-
sion and anxiety.
Synthetic estradiol (Premarin) is the estrogen that places you at
high risk for breast cancer. This is due to the fact that it’s not broken
down in the liver as quickly as your own natural estrogens (affecting
the cells for a longer time). Premarin, made from the urine of preg-
nant horses, simply doesn’t function exactly like the estrogens made
in the human body. In addition to natural estradiol, other natural
estrogens have synthetic companions and are marketed under vari-
ous brand names.
One of the common risks of taking synthetic estrogen is the high-
er dosage compared to what your body would normally produce. The
most common symptom of too much estrogen in your system is water
retention. This can lead to breast tenderness and swelling, weight
gain and headaches. Excess estrogen can also lower blood sugar and
increase your cravings for sweets. Too much estrogen also increases
your risk of uterine cancer and gall bladder disease.
While the idea of synthetic estrogen replacement is often “sold”
to patients by touting the benefits of building strong bones, estrogen
doesn’t actually do this. Rather, it decreases the rate of bone loss that
occurs naturally throughout life. The hormones that have the greatest
impact on new bone growth — something your body is always doing
— are progesterone and testosterone.
Progesterone and Testosterone
Unlike estrogen, which is a group of hormones, progesterone is the
only hormone in its class. Progesterone has many functions in the
body. It improves sleep, builds bone mass, protects against breast and
uterine cancer, improves carbohydrate tolerance, helps burn fat, pre-
vents water retention, increases sex drive and in many people has a
calming effect on the nervous system.
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