Here’s an interesting paper I uncovered from the European Cardiology Society about estrogen and heart disease. I feel that it is really easy to read and pretty balanced.
Of note, there’s epidemiological evidence that E may be cardioprotective, which may be true in select cases. But I feel that this is too generalized to relate to a broad human population as there are so many other factors in play.
Estrogen Studies– that Didn’t use Estrogen
And again, there’s the allusion to the HERS and WHI studies that showed that estrogen increases cardiovascular risk. But again, they used synthetic conjugated E in both studies (Bad. No question. Avoid at all costs. Period). And in each study, the average entry enrollment age of participants was 67 years old– probably 20 years older than the average age of this group.
I like this paper because it describes the ischemia-preventing effects of the real molecule on the 17-hydroxysteroid (estradiol, a and b) receptors. My read is that E may help to limit the extent of an infarct, de-vascularized tissue that fellows a “heart attack”.
Estrogen: Conclusions
What we do know:
- E by itself is a trophic hormone and contributes to tissue growth.
- Excessive E relative to P over a lifetime increases the risk for cancers in the breast and uterus.
- Using unopposed E for HRT in a menopausal woman is malpractice.
- Synthetic hormones such as conjugated equine estrogens (Premarin) increase breast cancer risk relative to bioidentical hormones, with the risk increasing as more synthetic Progesterones (progestins) are added.
I’m always learning, and I know that you are too. I hope that this short post helps to clarify some of what’s known about Estrogen—and its nefarious synthetic imposters. Be sure to check out the paper below.
https://academic.oup.com/cardiovascres/article/69/4/777/344756
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