TRADITIONAL OR BIOIDENTICAL: UNDERSTANDING THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN HORMONE THERAPIES
To say that the use of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) has been historically controversial is an understatement. Ever since the FDA in 1942 approved the first HRT drug—Premarin—for the treatment of menopausal hot flashes, the popularity of HRT has gone up and down like a spasmodic yo-yo. While some studies, publications, and books touting HRT’s effectiveness made its popularity surge, others would backpedal the surge by warning of health risks. Among the former was the 1966 bestselling book Feminine Forever, which claimed that taking estrogen would allow a woman to remain just that despite menopause. An example of the latter was the 1977 bestselling book Women and the Crisis in Sex Hormones, which warned about studies linking HRT to breast cancer, strokes, and blood clots.