Safe Kind Of Estrogen Vs Herbal Estrogen

[Guest chinee]

This is something new to me that there are so called "herbal estrogen" that us MTF should get rid off on HRT. I was not aware that "estrofem" is one of the herbal estrogens. My doctor prescribe this estrofem for my estrogen. I am only 1 month old in HRT. So on my next appointment I will ask my doctor to change my estrogen if this "estrofem" is really a herbal thing and if this herbal estrogen is really bad for HRT among MTF.

Some say on other thread that estradiol valerate is the estrogen that most prescribe in US by doctors to MTF patients. Please confirm this if all the things I stated here are correct and valid. I was not aware that there are kinds of estrogen like this and I thought when you say bioidentical/natural like from plants are safer but now I am scared because of the things I read here about herbal estrogens.

Girls please share the kind of estrogen you are taking and what method (transdermal/oral/inject) and if you know supporting facts about the issue I stated above, feel free to share it here.

by the way, this is the picture of the estrofem my doctor prescribe

http://www.bestdrug.org/estrofem_l.jpg

[Guest]

Hello Chinee,

The products sold in the Philippines may differ from what's sold here in the USA. Possibly your doctor is prescribing the right thing. Please check with your doctor if you have questions.

Love, Meg

[Guest chinee]

the packaging might be different but when I check the content, it is the same with the contents we are talking about here... but I will be asking this questions to my doctor on my next appointment. For now, I want to be enlighten first by your experiences and facts about these estrogens so that i could enumerate this to my endo.

[Guest Maria_B]

I know there is two different estrofems

One is herbal one is synthetic. Not sure which is which, though.

I think the herbal is EstroFem. But don't take my word for it, I'm not a doctor.

Ask yours about it.

[Guest Miss_Construe]

according to wikipedia: EstroFem = Esterdiol valerate

EstroFem is prescription only so is approved by the FDA as Oestradiol according to UnitedPharmacies.com

hope that helps.

April

[Guest Miss_Construe]

The EstroFem I saw may be different than what others have seen. Make sure the drug name is oesterdiol or similar.

April

[Guest Julie T]

Chinee

Honey check with your doctor, but this question has been asked. My research first showed Estrofem was an herbal phytoestrogen. But later I retracted that as in certain areas of world there is an Estrofem that is a true estrogen. Apparently the herbal is a rip-off of the name and puts a space in the middle "Estro Fem." So again, you are probably okay, but talk to your doctor.

Julie

[Guest chinee]

thanks for the replies girls... I will discuss this with my doctor on my next appointment

[Guest Alainaluvsu]

There are 2 different types of what you are referring to. Estrofem is the real deal containing oestrogen. EstroFem is the phytoestrogen.

[Guest Donna Jean]

There are 2 different types of what you are referring to. Estrofem is the real deal containing oestrogen. EstroFem is the phytoestrogen.

That is how I understand it, too....

But...see your doctor....ok?

Huggs

Dee Jay

[MackenzieB]

I guess there's more than one Estrofem. I was reading the ingredients of Estrofem made by Hitech and it's green tea extract, Black cohosh and other herbal stuff. I also found the one which you had a pic of and the ingredients were didn't appear to be herbal based.

[Guest Sascha]

Estradiol isn't a herb, but there is a slight catch.

What many people do not realize is that most estradiol for a HRT regimen are synthesized copies from herbs with a few exceptions such as estradiol valerate which is completely created in a laboratory. I hope I didn't confuse you yet? bare with me... The synthetics or the synthesized do not have the same metabolites as the pure herbs because they are purified and synthesized, meaning: all the bad stuff is removed. The synthesized copies are bio-identical, and if not, they are altered to be identical to the human body.

If you notice this list, you will see what I mean:

Synthesized from herbs

Micronized estradiol/Estrace

Estradiol/Alora

Estradiol/Climara

Estradiol/Estraderm

Estradiol/Fem Patch

Estradiol/Vivelle, Vivelle-Dot

Estradiol/Estring

Esterified estrogens (estrone, equilin)

Esterified estrogens (estrone, equillin)

Micronized estradiol/Estrace

Estropipate/Ogen

Estropipate/Ortho

Ethinyl estradiol/Estinyl

Synthesized from animals

Conjugated estrogens/Premarin

Now, as you can see Ethinylestradiol also comes from herbs, I do not say which herbs, but they are. So if you take the herbs they are in, you are basically playing Russian Roulette since it's one of the most potent and dangerous estrogen which can kill you. That's why herbs are dangerous. Point being, if you take herbs you will get secondary metabolites and elevated triglycerides which in term can create havoc in your liver, and may result in liver failure, liver cirrhosis, deep vein thrombosis and strokes.

Be-aware.

Love,

Sasha.

[Guest chinee]

^

so you mean to say micronized estradiol such as estrace/estrofem are synthesized and not herbal. Meaning they are not risky for internal organs like liver?

[Guest Sascha]

Hi Chinee,

Both are produced from herbs. They are a by-product from the extraction of herbs, which produces an oily substance. I wrote a letter to one manufacturer and they confirmed the herbal origin of estradiol they produce. But, while it has a herbal origin, it is not bio-identical. They make it bio-idential for the human body in a laboratory by modifying it's molecular structure, so it's semi-synthetic. So natural does not mean bio-identical. That's the key issue. because if you take a bunch of herbs you actually aren't getting the bio-identical hormones and are in a greater risk of secondary metabolites, such as ethinylestradiol which causes a warped lipid profile. That's why raw herbs pose a greater risk than the (semi) synthetics. So It's not a 100% synthetic, as another petrochemical substance would be.