Oprah, Suzanne Somers, Robin McGraw and Dr. Phil have all shared the national spotlight recently with their passionate support of bioidentical hormone replacement therapy. What is all the hoopla about? The answer lies in the fact that hormones decline with age and can make us feel sick with symptoms such as fatigue, insomnia, hot flashes, mood swings, weight gain, memory problems and low sex drive. Many people mistakenly believe these symptoms of menopause, andropause, adrenal fatigue, hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism to be an inevitable part of getting older. However, these symptoms are in fact often caused by hormonal imbalances and many people have found relief with bioidentical hormone replacement therapy.

This natural therapy is considered anti-aging because it works to combat the symptoms attributed to aging and it can improve longevity, as well as quality of life. Bioidentical means that the molecular structure of the replacement hormones is exactly the same as what the body naturally produces. These differ from the synthetic hormones like Premarin (derived from horse urine) or Provera, which have been shown to increase risk of cardiac disease, breast and uterine cancer. A Swiss study of 23,000 women using bioidentical estrogen showed a 25% DECREASE in the death rate from breast cancer (Schairer et al, Epidemiology, 1997; 8:59- 65). In 2005, a large French study of 54,548 menopausal women showed that women who took estrogen and non-bioidentical Provera had a 40% INCREASE in breast cancer but women who took estrogen and bioidentical progesterone had a 10% DECREASE. Studies such as these illustrate the better safety profile of bioidentical hormones vs. synthetic hormones.

Feeling better isn’t always as simple as just taking a hormone. Lifestyle interventions with nutrition, exercise and stress relief can play just as large a role. For women suffering from the symptoms of perimenopause, PMS, menopause, adrenal fatigue or thyroid imbalance, Dr. Randy Cohen, a fellowship trained anti-aging medicine specialist, will conduct an extensive interview, order appropriate laboratory tests and then create an individualized treatment program including hormone balancing. To schedule a consultation with Dr. Cohen, please call 717-560-4460.

This article originally appeared in the July/August 2009 issue of Lancaster County Woman