Risks of Bio-HRT
(A Japanese Scientists view)
There are some risk and side effects relating to HRT. They can include: vaginal bleeding (starting or returning), breast tenderness (which often goes away after three months), nausea (which may resolve spontaneously), fluid retention, changes in the shape of the eye (sometimes leading to contact lens intolerance), headache, dizziness, depression, an increased risk for reduced tolerance to sugar and other carbohydrates and an increased risk for gallbladder disease. Studies have not confirmed that estrogen causes weight gain, yet, in some women, HRT causes water retention, and thus temporary weight increase. Some scientists have pointed out that there is an increased risk of breast or uterine cancer with HRT, especially when used without progesterone.
These side effects and risks associated with HRT have led millions of peri-menopausal and menopausal women to seek out herbal alternatives. Robert Rister, in his book Japanese Herbal Medicine, reports that in Japan, the usefulness of herbal medicine is growing rapidly among conventionally trained medical doctors. In 1976 only 42 herbal formulas had been approved by the Japanese FDA, with only 19.2% of Japanese medical doctors utilizing herbal medicine. In 1996 148 formulas had been approved by the Japanese FDA, and it is estimated today that almost 77% of Japanese medical doctors, who have every method of modern medicine available to them, prescribe herbal formulas. This increased use of herbal medicine has been driven by hundreds of scientific studies validating the effectiveness of herbal formulas. Sixty percent of these Japanese doctors consider herbal formulas to be the first choice for some diseases. Rister reports, “In cases where standard medications deliver predictable results without side effects, Japanese doctors prefer synthetic drugs to Kampo (herbal medicine). These doctors, however, note seven situations for which Kampo (herbal formulas) are especially suitable, and menopause is most definitely one of them.”
Some information was used from:
Natural Hormone Replacement
By Geoff D'Arcy, L.Ac., D.O.M.
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