What Is Natural Hormone Replacement Therapy? Doctors on the Perimenopause and Menopause Treatment

When going through perimenopause and menopause, you’ll likely experience hot flashes, mood swings and other symptoms. This is because your body is changing and your hormone levels are fluctuating. To combat them, many have turned to hormone replacement therapy (HRT), but others are skeptical of the treatment. But natural hormone replacement therapy, as it turns out, is a good alternative. Keep reading to hear more info about natural hormone remedies and how they can alleviate perimenopause and menopause discomfort.

What is natural hormone replacement therapy?

“Natural hormone replacement therapy (HRT) involves using hormones derived from natural sources, but it's essential to understand that natural does not always mean identical to what the body produces,” says Anat Sapan MD , a board-certified OB-GYN specializing in HRT.

Mindy Goldman, MD , Chief Clinical Officer for Midi Health and clinical professor emeritus of obstetrics at UC San Francisco, adds that “natural hormones are often confused with two other terms- bioidentical and compounded hormones and it is important to understand the differences.”

Bioidentical hormones have the same structure as ones that are produced in the body while “compounded hormone formulations are prepared by compounding pharmacies and include a number of different hormonal preparations — estradiol, estrone and estriol, progesterone, DHEA and testosterone,” explains Dr. Goldman.

Oftentimes bioidentical hormones are “derived from plants like soy or yams,” says Dr. Sapan. “These bio-identical hormones match the molecular structure of human hormones, ensuring better compatibility and fewer side effects.”

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Types of natural HRT

Nowadays, natural resources including “herbal products, supplements and integrative practices are considered natural ways of approaching menopause,” says Dr. Goldman. She notes that while there is less research for these options than standard drug studies, many of these remedies can be helpful for those with perimenopausal or menopausal symptoms such as hot flashes and night sweats.

Black cohosh

Black cohosh is a perennial plant native to North America and its most common use today is to alleviate menopausal symptoms.

According to the National Institutes of Health , “black cohosh is most commonly used for menopausal symptoms, including hot flashes (also called hot flushes) and night sweats (together known as vasomotor symptoms), vaginal dryness, heart palpitations, tinnitus, vertigo, sleep disturbances, nervousness, and irritability.”

You can take a black cohosh supplement in pill form and it helps to increase the body’s levels of estrogen which tend to be lower during this stage of life.

Dr. Goldman says it’s important to understand whether the whole plant was used or if just a root or extract was taken as this can make a difference in its overall effectiveness.

Phytoestrogens

It’s not hard to incorporate phytoestrogens into your routine because they’re found in many fruits and vegetables and grains. Per a study from the Open Access Macedonian Journal of Medical Sciences , “Food sources include soybeans, garlic, celery, carrots, potatoes, rice, wheat, red clover, sweet potatoes, fruits (apples, pomegranates and chaste berries) and coffee.”

They act as natural HRTs because their structure is similar to endogen estradiol and they’re able to “bind with alpha and beta receptors of estrogen.”

It’s important to note that “phytoestrogens, while plant-based, can influence hormone levels and might not be suitable for everyone, especially those with hormone-sensitive conditions,” explains Lynn Westphal, MD, FACOG , board-certified OB-GYN and Medical Director at Musely .

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What you should know about natural HRT

“One common misconception about natural hormone therapies (HT) is that they are always safer and free from side effects compared to synthetic or bioidentical hormones,” explains Dr. Westphal. Since things like black cohosh or phytoestrogens are derived from plant sources, people believe them to be more benign, but can still interact with other medications or produce side effects.

Dr. Goldman says it’s crucial to pay attention to each patient’s specific needs when it comes to HRT either natural or traditional. “What is most important is seeing an expert in perimenopause and menopause care who understands the symptoms, the science and knows about the many many treatment options available to help find the treatments that are right for the individual woman.”

For more ways to approach perimenopausal and menopausal symptoms:

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MDs Reveal the Best Natural Ways to Ease the Most Bothersome Menopause Symptoms

The 5 Easy Tricks Experts Say Balance Your Hormones + Tame Menopause Symptoms Naturally

This content is not a substitute for professional medical advice or diagnosis. Always consult your physician before pursuing any treatment plan .