How Do Estrogen Derivatives Work
Estrogen derivatives are medications used in the prevention and treatment of menopausal symptoms and various conditions associated with menopause, such as vaginal dryness and bone loss . Estrogen derivatives are also used in the treatment of breast and prostate cancers.
Estrogens are a group of natural endogenous hormones in women and are present in smaller quantities in men. Estrogens are the primary hormones responsible for the development and maintenance of the femalereproductive system and secondary sexual characteristics. Estrogens also play an important role in male sexual function.
Estrogen derivatives supplement the deficiency in natural estrogens which get depleted with menopause in women. Estrogen derivatives relieve menopausal symptoms, prevent bone loss, and reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease in menopausal women.
Endogenous estrogens are of three major types, estradiol, estriol, and estrone. Estrogen derivatives are purified formulations of different types of estrogens derived from natural estrogens from pregnant mares or synthetic estrogen preparations. Estrogen derivatives bind to estrogen receptors in cells and have effects similar to estrogen.
Estrogen derivatives work by reducing elevated levels of reproductive hormones in postmenopausal women, which include gonadotropin-releasing hormone from the hypothalamus, and follicular stimulating hormone , and luteinizing hormone from the pituitary gland.
What Is Known About Hormone Therapy And The Risk Of Breast Cancer
Taking combined hormone therapy can increase your risk of developing breast cancer. Here are some important findings:
- Taking combination hormone therapy showed a rare increase of absolute risk of less than one additional case of breast cancer per 1000 person years of use.
- There was a nonsignificant reduction in breast cancer seen in women with hysterectomies on estrogen only therapy.
- If youve been diagnosed with breast cancer you should not take systemic hormone therapy.
New Concerns Over Ht Risks For Blood Clots Other Disease
Even more concerning, the treatment was found to increase the risk of blood clots and gallbladder disease. The researchers concluded in their JAMA report that they do not recommend starting this treatment for the purpose of secondary prevention of coronary heart disease.
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The HERS trial severely rocked the boat of hormone therapy, said David Katz, MD, the president of the nonprofit True Health Initiative, in an article in Huffington Post. HT had previously been a placid sea of prevailing conviction, with only small waves of misgivings, he writes. Those waves were now much more intense.
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Are There Any Precautions About Food Or Other Medicines
If you have nausea , take the pill with food, or just before bedtime.
If you have a family history of thrombosis you should discuss this with your health care provider before beginning COCs.
Check with the doctor, nurse practitioner, or pharmacist before taking any other prescription or non-prescription medicines, herbs, or vitamins.
Does The Brand Well Known
Before buying a high-end product, its crucial to look for the brand. Does the brand have a good reputation for quality and service? A quick search on the internet should reveal if there are any known issues with the brand and its products. Once youve verified the brands good reputation, its time to consider the purchasing model.
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Do Otc Testosterone Boosters Really Work
At this point, its important to reiterate that testosterone replacement therapy involves medications that include testosterone hormone. In contrast, none of the over-the-counter drugs that claim to boost testosterone levels include testosterone. If these supplements do have an impact on hormone levels, its because theyre acting on secondary processes rather than supplying the body with exogenous testosterone.
As for whether or not these substances work, that depends on quite a few variables. The following substances have been researched in connection with testosterone and initial results indicate that they may have some impact on testosterone levels in the male body:
Estrogen Was Discovered In St Louis In 1929
Before you can have hormone therapy, you have to have hormones. Credit for discovering the various forms of estrogen goes to the scientist Edward Adelbert Doisy.
In the early 20th century, Doisy and his colleagues developed analytical techniques for measuring various substances in the blood and urine, according to an article in the Journal of Biological Chemistry. When Doisy changed jobs in 1923 to head up the new biochemistry department at the St. Louis University Medical School, he began finding substances to measure. Through this process of analyzing the urine and follicular fluids of pigs, Doisy eventually isolated the female sex hormone estrogen.
There are three types of estrogens that dominate in different phases of a womans life. For women between their first menstruation and menopause, estradiol is the most common. Estriol dominates during pregnancy. After menopause, the primary estrogen a woman makes is estrone, notes the Cleveland Clinic.
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Why Is This Medication Prescribed
The estradiol cypionate and estradiol valerate forms of estrogen injection are used to treat hot flushes and/or vaginal dryness, itching, and burning in women who are experiencing menopause . However, women who need a medication only to treat vaginal dryness, itching, or burning should consider a different treatment. These forms of estrogen injection are also sometimes used to treat the symptoms of low estrogen in young women who do not produce enough estrogen naturally. The estradiol valerate form of estrogen injection is also sometimes used to relieve the symptoms of certain types of prostate cancer. The conjugated estrogens form of estrogen injection is used to treat abnormal vaginal bleeding that a doctor has decided is caused only by a problem with the amounts of certain hormones in the body. Estrogen injection is in a class of medications called hormones. It works by replacing estrogen that is normally produced by the body.
How To Take Estradiol
Before you start taking this medication, you must consult your doctor. Your doctor will be able to diagnose your condition and prescribe the appropriatestrength. Estradiol tablets are available in different strengths such as estradiol 0.5mg tablet, estradiol 1mg tablet and estradiol 2mg tablet.
Estradiol is taken orally, with water or food, depending on your doctorâs instructions. Make sure you do not crush, chew or dissolve the tablet as this mayincrease the risk of side-effects. The dosage can be adjusted later depending on your bodyâs response to the treatment.
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Male To Female Hormone Pills At Walmart
Walmart sells herbal pills that cause an insignificant feminization effect, these are not real male to female hormones. If you are thinking about buying male to female hormone pills at Walmart you need to understand that an herb does not stop testosterone, you will still have testosterone which is going to keep your body masculine. Walmart is not equipped or interested in helping you transition or grow breasts. Putting a small amount of phytoestrogen in your body is not going to give you the results you are looking for.
What Other Drugs Interact With Estradiol
If your doctor has directed you to use this medication, your doctor or pharmacist may already be aware of any possible drug interactions and may be monitoring you for them. Do not start, stop, or change the dosage of any medicine before checking with your doctor, health care provider or pharmacist first.
Severe Interactions of estradiol include:
Estradiol has serious interactions with at least 32 different drugs.
Estradiol has moderate interactions with at least 185 different drugs.
Estradiol has mild interactions with at least 34 different drugs.
This information does not contain all possible interactions or adverse effects. Therefore, before using this product, tell your doctor or pharmacist of all the products you use. Keep a list of all your medications with you, and share this information with your doctor and pharmacist. Check with your health care professional or doctor for additional medical advice, or if you have health questions, concerns or for more information about this medicine.
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Are There Other Things I Can Do To Protect Myself Against Osteoporosis
Doctors have long known that estrogen therapy helps prevent osteoporosis . There are many other ways to protect your bone health. Regular weight-bearing exercise and a diet high in calcium and vitamin D strengthen bones. There are also many bone-building medications available to women today. Your doctor can help you decide the best bone health strategy for you.
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How Should This Medicine Be Used
The estradiol cypionate and estradiol valerate forms of long acting estrogen injection come as a liquid to inject into a muscle. These medications are usually injected by a health care professional once every 3 to 4 weeks. When the estradiol valerate form of estrogen injection is used to treat the symptoms of prostate cancer, it is usually injected by a health care professional once every 1 to 2 weeks.
The conjugated estrogens form of estrogen injection comes as a powder to mix with sterile water and inject into a muscle or vein. It is usually injected by a health care professional as a single dose. A second dose may be injected 6 to 12 hours after the first dose if it is needed to control vaginal bleeding.
If you are using estrogen injection to treat hot flushes, your symptoms should improve within 1 to 5 days after you receive the injection. Tell your doctor if your symptoms do not improve during this time.
Ask your pharmacist or doctor for a copy of the manufacturer’s information for the patient.
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Synthetic Hormones First Used For Menstrual Cramps
Once estrogen was discovered, it was only a matter of time before scientists figured out how to turn it into a drug.
The first commercial preparation of estrogen was called Emmenin. It was an alcohol-soluble substance derived from extracts of human placentas. A paper published in 1935 in the Canadian Medical Association Journal described this oral solutions value for treating painful menstrual cramps, which go by the medical name dysmenorrhea.
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Does Medicare Cover Vagifem And How Much Does It Cost
Medicare does not typically provide coverage for Vagifem, but the generic versions are sometimes covered. Without Medicare coverage, the cost of prescription medications can be very high.
SingleCare can help you save on these high costs with a Vagifem coupon that lets you pay just $133.78 for 1, 8 tablets Box of Vagifem. Our coupons are valid for brand names, generics, and over-the-counter medications that your doctor writes a prescription for.
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Most Effective Best Estrogen Blocking Ingredients
Before we introduce the best estrogen-blocking pills, it may be helpful if we provide some information about the top estrogen-blocking ingredients. All the top options contain one or more of each of them. Thats why they have a track record of delivering such superior results.
When we say the best estrogen-blocking ingredients, we mean the ones that have plenty of science behind them. Ones that have been studied in clinical trials and proven to be effective for controlling estrogen.
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Warnings Of Estriol And Estradiol
Using estrogen can increase the risk of endometrial cancer, especially when its not taken with a progestin. Estriol and estradiol also have an increased risk of heart attack , stroke, pulmonary embolism , and deep vein thrombosis in postmenopausal women aged 50 to 79 years old. In the same population of women, estrogen use can also lead to an increased breast cancer risk, according to the Womens Health Initiative. Estrogen may also increase the risk of dementia in some postmenopausal women over 65 years of age.
Consult a doctor if you have risk factors including a medical history of:
Women who smoke tobacco may be at an increased risk of blood clots. Estrogen-containing products should not be used in these women.
Estriol, estradiol, and other estrogen-related drugs can harm an unborn baby. They should not be used during pregnancy or breastfeeding.
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Hrt For Breast Cancer Survivors
It is advisable for women with a history of breast cancer to avoid HRT unless other treatments are ineffective, and their quality of life is made intolerable by menopausal symptoms. In these circumstances, HRT should only be prescribed in consultation with the womans breast surgeon or oncologist.
Evidence has not conclusively shown that HRT will increase the risk of breast cancer recurring in a woman with a history of the disease. However, oestrogen and progestogens may stimulate some types of cells in the breast and some types of HRT use have been associated with an increase in the risk of breast cancer in women without a history of breast cancer.
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Can Estrogen Therapy Be Bad Does Estrogen Cause Breast Cancer
It depends on the type of estrogen prescribed. Bioidentical estrogen in combination with bioidentical progesterone produces the best results. In Europe, only bioidentical hormones are prescribed.
If either estrogen or other helping substances are synthetic , they can cause various problems in the body and even significantly increase the risk of breast cancer, according to some studies. However, FDA has stated there is not enough evidence to support that bioidentical hormones are safer, so in the US synthetic options are frequently prescribed.
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Treatments And How To Solve Estrogen And Progesterone Sleep Disturbances
Hormone replacement therapy can be used to help solve sleep disturbances when women are peri- and menopausal. Sleep issues become more common and worsen during peri- to postmenopause when women report the most sleep problems. As women age , about 40% of women experience menopause sleep problems.1-4
The symptoms of menopause, including hot flashes and night sweats, may underlie many of the sleep problems that peri- and early menopausal women commonly encounter. For women facing these challenges, estrogen and progesterone replacement therapy may help them to sleep more soundly.While on HRT, there can be changes in deep sleep that mimic the deep sleep patterns seen in younger, healthy women. HRT also appears to play a role in the improvement of cognitive functioning possibly due to improved sleep.1 In one study the women without HRT rated their sleep as dissatisfying and reported three to five awakenings per night. That ratio changed dramatically after HRT was added and women rated the quality of their sleep as very or quite satisfying, with only one or two awakenings per night.
Peri- and menopausal women often experience much better sleep improvements when on estrogen and progesterone than going with strictly traditional sleep medications. Many scientists believe that if a patients sleep disruption is due to , 95- 98% can be cured with HRT.1 HRT is the most proven method for decreasing hot flashes and night sweats.
Side Effects Of Estriol And Estradiol
The most common side effects of estrogen therapy include menstrual changes , spotting, pain during periods , breast tenderness, nausea, vomiting, and headache. Other side effects of topical and oral estrogens include bloating, weight gain, and hair loss.
Estrogen has been shown to alter or increase the production of melanin, a substance responsible for the skins pigment. Estrogen can increase pigment and darken the skin in some cases.
Severe side effects of estrogen use include high blood pressure , heart attack, blood clots , worsening of asthma, gallbladder disease, and low calcium levels. Other severe adverse effects can include the enlargement of fibroids in the uterus as well as the increased risk of breast and cervical cancer.
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The Four Stages Of Sleep:
NREM Stage 1: The transition period between wakefulness and sleep. It usually lasts about 5-10 minutes.
NREM Stage 2: Your body temperature drops and your heart rate begins to slow. Lasts about 20 minutes.
NREM Stage 3: Your muscles relax, blood pressure, and breathing rate drop, and your very deepest sleep occur.
REM Sleep: Your brain becomes more active, while your body becomes relaxed and immobilized. This is when dreams occur and your eyes move rapidly hence the name of this stage of sleep, rapid eye movement. REM sleep helps the brain with creativity. The REM sleep seems to be a time when mental connections are made and information is synthesized in new and interesting ways like when we hear people saying, It came to me in a dream.8
Just to make it more complicated, sleep does not progress through these stages in sequence. Sleep begins in stages 1 and progresses into stages 2, and 3. After stage 3 sleep, stage 2 sleep is repeated before entering REM sleep.2When scientists studied the sleep electrical activity of the brain of women on HRT, they realized that HRT had significant effects on sleep. Specifically, HRT increased the number of times patients were in REM sleep and reduced the time spent awake from 20 to 12 minutes during the first two sleep cycles of the night.1 When you add back the estrogen and progesterone that has been dropping with menopause, you can notice:
An improvement in your quality of sleep,
It takes less time to actually get to sleep,
What Are The Emotional And Intellectual Effects Of Estrogen
People are very different so their emotional and intellectual changes vary widely. People taking estrogen have reported:
- Feeling more emotional and more in touch with their feelings
- Crying more easily
- Depression or sadness
- Thinking differently, having different ways of looking at things
- Feeling more like myself when taking a hormone that aligns with gender identity feeling more comfortable in ones body
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