"Estrogen" is a generic term for synthetic substances and a family of natural hormones formed by the ovary, placenta, and testes; possibly by the adrenal cortex; and by certain plants. In the United States, estrogen replacement therapy generally derives from a mixture of natural hormones obtained from the urine of pregnant mares. Despite estrogen's well-established ability to protect against osteoporosis and cardiovascular disease, less than one-fifth of postmenopausal women ever take estrogen supplements (L.M. Salamone et al., Archives of Internal Medicine, 156:1293-7, 1996). They, and their physicians, are wary not only of such frequent side effects as vaginal bleeding and breast swelling and tenderness, but also of the higher risk of breast and endometrial or uterine cancer. Progesterone often is prescribed along with estrogen to blunt the latter's carcinogenic potential, but progesterone may adversely affect the cardiovascular system. In recent years, research into estrogen has yielded evidence of its possible ...
In Estrogen Research, Challenge Is To Cull Good From Bad
What to make of estrogen? Does the female sex hormone's potential to protect women, and even men, against an array of illnesses foreshadow a research bonanza? Or will its use, in natural and synthetic forms, always be compromised by serious side effects, including an increased risk of cancer? A steady flow of academic articles and announcements from university research centers indicates widespread interest in such questions, but the asking seems much easier than the answering. "Estrogen" is a
Written bySteve Bunk
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