Hormones can be absorbed orally (from the gut mucosa), from skin (patches) and/or from vaginal mucosa (like a vaginal cream, tablet, ring (like a slow hormone release Estring, or suppository).
Previously, vaginal estrogens were thought to have only local effects. However, studies showed that estrogen delivered vaginally as cream, tablet, ring, or inserts are quickly absorbed into the blood and exert significant systemic effects. In some cases, vaginal absorbed estrogen can be higher than oral ingested one because it avoids the first-pass metabolism encountered by oral ingestion.
Therefore, neither orally nor vaginally delivered estrogen is safe especially used at a high dose for a long-term. They both have an increased risk for cancer and cardiovascular diseases.
The cost of estrogen replacement therapy is also high. The typical cost averages $325 per month and can range between $100 and $550 per month depending on the type and dose used.
Additionally, estrogen increases the risk of breast, ovarian, and uterine cancers, uterine fibroids, pulmonary embolism (clotting disorder), stroke, and heart attack. Many women, especially breast cancer survivors, cannot use estrogen. Even the topically applied estrogen cream, may pose an increased cancer risk because it is taken up so quickly by the body.
Once the hormone is absorbed into the blood, it goes to all over the body through blood circulation. The breast, ovarian and uterine tissues are rich in estrogen receptors. The increased hormones can cause cancers in these three tissues.
After menopause, the reproductive activity of a woman stops. As a result, the reproductive hormones reduce. This occurs naturally and is safe.
However, to boost the reproductive hormones artificially to its original level when you are not reproductively active, it is unnatural. This is not safe.
With increased hormones, the retired old and previously dormant reproductive tissue cells in the breast, ovaries, and uterine become active again. These old cells split to reproduce more cells. Some of these old cells may make a mistake during cell-splitting because they are "old" cells. This mistake is called cell mutation. Some mutations may cause the cells to become cancer cells.
Estrogen promotes old reproductive cells to cause cancer is a well-established fact. It has been documented by tens of thousands of scientific research articles. But drug companies do not want you to know that because if you are aware of that, you would not buy their drugs.
If you are interested in learning more about the risk of estrogen in causing breast cancer, you can go to PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/
In the search bar, type "estrogen cancer risk." Hit the return key and you will see there are 20,657 related scientific papers. Among them, 15,334 papers are about breast cancer as of today.
The number of scientific papers on estrogen causing cancers increases daily. Here is a blog article to summarize all the newly published scientific evidence:
https://www.neueve.com/blog/is-there-new-evidence-linking-hrt-to-breast-cancer/
Additionally, some estrogen products are made from horse urine and may be involved in animal cruelty. Many animal lovers are against using this type of estrogen.
How about bioidentical hormones? Are they safer?
Bioidentical hormones have a high risk for cancer due to high levels of hormones used. Its level is not "average" for the postmenopausal age. It is the average for younger women before menopause. So it is a very high "average" of estrogen supplement for women whose reproductive activity has stopped.
The word "bioidentical" is flawed. The FDA never approved it. So it is only available through compounding pharmacy that escapes from the FDA monitoring. Please read this FDA document. Bioidentical is on the second page.
https://www.fda.gov/media/130242/download
Many of our customers are previous bioidentical hormone users and got breast cancer. After they survived breast cancer, they found NeuEve and reversed their long-term vaginal atrophy and chronic UTIs safely and effectively without any health risks. Had they found NeuEve sooner, they would not have to struggle with breast cancer and almost lost life.
The take home message is that estrogen supplement (including bioidentical hormones) can cause breast, ovarian, and uterine cancers, and may be involved in animal cruelty. If you do not wish to get these cancers and if you love animals, you should seek a safer and humane alternative.
Is there a safe and better alternative to estrogen? The answer is "Yes!" NeuEve is safer and better.
https://www.neueve.com/blog/neueve-the-best-product-for-painful-sex-relief/
Do you have safer products for relieving hot flashes and other menopausal symptoms without using hormones?