The Benefits and Disadvantages of Synthetic Hormones

Updated: Jun 26, 2020

There are various advantages and disadvantages for women who are taking synthetic hormones to help combat unpleasant menopause symptoms. Menopause symptoms such as hot flashes, mood swings, loss of libido, among many others can prompt women to turn to synthetic hormones. Synthetic hormones can help banish many difficult signs of menopause and give relief to menopausal women. However, they can also have adverse side effects that women should not ignore, and that can be avoided by taking natural hormones.

Why Do I Need Synthetic Hormones?

A healthy diet can help combat menopause symptoms

It is important that before women begin receiving synthetic hormones they make healthy lifestyle changes. Frequently, a healthy diet consisting of lots of fruits, vegetables, dairy, protein, and fiber alongside regular exercise can help to combat adverse menopause symptoms. Often, maintaining a healthy body assists with the adverse signs of menopause and prompts the body to balance its hormone levels. However, synthetic hormones are useful for women who have tried to beat their menopause symptoms through natural methods.

What Are Synthetic Hormones?

Synthetic hormones are hormones that are artificially created to help boost women's hormone levels. Synthetic hormones are made in a laboratory to be the exact counterpart of natural hormones. Although they are technically “made”, they are produced of the same molecules as natural hormones.

What Synthetic Hormones Are Available?

When women are receiving hormone replacement therapy (HRT), the progesterone they receive is usually a synthetic hormone. This is because synthetic progesterone is more easily absorbed by the body than natural hormones. However, there are other synthetic hormones available to women.

Tibolone is a synthetic hormone that can be used as an alternative to HRT. It is a synthetic hormone that imitates progesterone and estrogen, thus women only have to take one synthetic hormone to treat their menopause symptoms.

What Are the Advantages of Synthetic Hormones?

The advantages of taking synthetic hormones are obvious. Taking synthetic hormones to overcome the unpleasant side effects of menopause can make a huge difference to a woman's comfort levels and life. Synthetic hormones can help women to carry on with their daily routines, when previously they were left unable to cope with their menopause symptoms. Synthetic hormones can also help to reduce the risk of osteoporosis and colon cancer.

What Are the Disadvantages of Synthetic Hormones?

Breast cancer is associated with HRT

There are risks associated with receiving synthetic hormones. These include a larger chance of developing certain cancers such as breast and ovarian cancer, and stroke. These risks can be avoided by women if they use natural hormones rather than synthetic hormones.

However, if women are worried about the advantages and disadvantages of synthetic hormones, they should visit their medical practitioners. If they are already taking synthetic hormones, they should know the risks and benefits of taking synthetic hormones. Nevertheless, new studies are always being conducted on the affects of synthetic hormones on women's health. Click here to read more about the different alternatives of using synthetic hormones.