Hormones in pills: pros and cons

There are many myths and speculations about the benefits and harms of hormones. Let's talk about how hormones in pills that you buy at the pharmacy affect the human body.

[ 1 ], [ 2 ], [ 3 ]

Effects of injections, creams and gels with estrogens on the body

It is similar to the effect that is acquired from applying a patch. That is, estrogens from creams, gels, injections do not pass through the gastrointestinal tract, and therefore do not reach the liver, being absorbed into the blood immediately. Because of this, their effect on the body is different, softer.

True, a significant disadvantage of these methods is that the level of estrogens in the body fluctuates. When taking oral hormones, it is more constant. This is explained by the fact that they are absorbed into the blood faster than when taken orally. But they are also excreted from the body faster. This means that they affect organ functions less than oral drugs with estrogens.

The effect of non-oral estrogen drugs on the body has this feature. They initially sharply increase the concentration of estrogens in the blood, then their effect fades, and then the estrogens are excreted from the body. That is, the level of estrogens in the body with such intake is unstable.

Especially compared to oral medications, which provide a relatively stable level of estrogen in the body. In order to influence the estrogen level in the body correctly, the endocrinologist must not only correctly calculate the dosage of the drugs, but can also prescribe a combined method of obtaining estrogens. That is, use both oral medications with estrogens, and creams, gels, patches, injections - at your choice.

[ 4 ], [ 5 ], [ 6 ]

Oral estrogens

If the body has little natural estrogens (that is, those that the body produces itself), people take hormones from the pharmacy. It is worth knowing that estrogens in the form of 17-beta estradiols from hormonal pharmacy drugs give us the opportunity to get estrogens that are similar in chemical composition to natural ones secreted by the ovaries.

What is the difference between hormones in tablets and those we get from hormonal patches? The former first enter the liver and it processes them. This is good because at a low concentration of HDL in the blood, oral drugs with estrogen hormones in the composition will stimulate its production in the body. The reason is that estrogens are able to stimulate the secretion of HDL in natural conditions.

The disadvantages of oral pills are that if the dosage is incorrect and the choice is ill-considered, they can cause blood pressure to jump, the level of estrone hormones to increase, and triglycerides to be produced in excess of the norm.

This can lead to the formation of kidney and gallstones. Therefore, before using estrogen-containing drugs, it is necessary to undergo an examination of the condition of the kidneys and gallbladder, as well as the level of cholesterol in the blood.

If you take your estrogens from patches, gels, or creams, estradiol does not stimulate HDL production as intensely, simply maintaining it at a normal level. This is important when HDL levels in the body are high or close to it.

If there is a lot of cholesterol in the body (in particular, bad cholesterol), and the HDL level is too low, then hormonal drugs with estrogens in their composition will help to normalize the cholesterol level (lower it), and increase the concentration of HDL.

Because of this, the heart will begin to work normally, the blood vessels will be more elastic, their walls will become stronger, and the risk of blood clots will decrease.

So, if you have high cholesterol, oral contraceptives with estrogens are more suitable for you, and if you have low cholesterol, patches and gels are more suitable.

[ 11 ], [ 12 ], [ 13 ], [ 14 ], [ 15 ]

Estrogen patch

Such a patch, as a rule, contains estrogen hormones, and their most prominent representative is 17-beta-estradiol. It is good because it is easily absorbed by the skin and through the blood directly into the blood, bypassing the gastrointestinal tract and liver. This is similar to the natural process before the onset of menopause, when the ovaries produce estrogens, which immediately enter the blood.

The downside of this method of delivering estrogens to the body is that they are partially destroyed without being processed by the liver. This means that they do not affect the body as intensely as natural estrogen hormones.

Estrogen patches containing estradiol can affect the body differently because they contain different concentrations of hormones. This determines how many days you attach the patch to your skin. It can be 5 days, or it can be 7-8 days. To find out what dose of estradiol through the patch is right for you, consult your doctor so as not to exceed the dose.

It is necessary to take into account that each organism is individual, the metabolism of each woman occurs at a different rate, which means that hormones will also be absorbed at a different rate. The type of patch also depends on this.

The disadvantages of the patch are also that it can cause an allergic reaction in the body in the form of a rash on the skin. It is important to check whether the body reacts to them with an allergic rash or redness before using the patch with estrogens.

Benefits of Estrogen Patches for Overweight People

What are the advantages of patches that contain estradiol (a hormone from the estrogen group)? There are many of them.

Estradiol patches

They are able to normalize the level of estrogens in the blood, in particular, the hormone estradiol. The method of its entry into the blood through the patch is similar to that which delivers estradiol naturally, when it is produced by the ovaries. This is good for those women who have high blood pressure and who have headaches during the menstrual period.

When estradiol enters the body through the patch, it makes it possible to normalize glucose levels and neutralize the body's resistance to insulin. The patch with estradiol as its supplier helps better than oral pills.

The estradiol patch is good for women with high estrone levels because it does not increase them. This is because the patch's substances are absorbed into the blood immediately, bypassing the liver.

Since the substances in the patch do not pass through the liver, they can interact normally with other medications.

Estradiol patches do not increase triglycerides in the body. They do not interfere with oral medications that contain estrogen.

Estradiol from the patch remains in the body at the same concentration, its level does not increase much, even if there is a lot of cholesterol in the body. And oral drugs with estradiol can increase its level.

Taking progestins: in what form?

Progestins, like any other hormones, can enter your body in the form of oral pills, creams, injections, gels and other drugs. The form in which a woman takes progestins determines their effect on her hormonal balance, and therefore her well-being. The form of progestin to choose depends on the characteristics of the body.

You should consult with your doctor to choose the best form of progestin intake for you. And also whether additional hormones in the form of estrogens or androgens are needed to enhance the effect of progestin intake.

There are also combined hormonal agents that have a complex effect on the body. For example, Activella, which contains beta-estradiol and norethindrone. The ratio of 1: 0.5 is optimal to allow a woman to feel better and normalize hormonal balance. In addition, with an optimal ratio of hormones in the drug, a woman reduces the risk of uterine bleeding.

How to avoid weight gain due to hormones?

If you are taking birth control pills, they should contain approximately 1 mg of the hormone norethindrone or similar substances and up to 50 mcg of estradiol. This will help avoid increased appetite and prevent extra pounds from being gained. If the birth control pills contain more progestin (see the composition on the package), then your appetite will increase and your weight will increase.

High progestin content is found in such drugs as Myrcet, Allesi, Loestrin. Having bought them, you will certainly eat more and gain weight faster.

Taking combination drugs

If the drug contains a combination of hormones: estradiol and norgestimate, it affects the body in a measured and gradual manner. Estrogens and progestins enter the blood through the liver in more beneficial proportions than if a woman were taking only progestin or only estrogens. First, the body takes only estradiol (three days), then progestins with estradiol (also three days), then again only estradiol. Thus, the drugs alternate, providing the woman's body with good hormonal support.

Thus, a woman significantly reduces the risk of bleeding, and the effect of hormones on the body increases. Nerve receptors accept them better.

There are also disadvantages to taking combination drugs. If a woman suffers from excess weight, depression, nervous breakdowns, develops diabetes, has insulin resistance, suffers from migraines, has a tendency to form kidney and gallstones, it is better to take progestin in its pure form, and not in combination. Otherwise, the body may not tolerate its daily fluctuations with gradual absorption, and unpleasant symptoms (for example, headaches) may significantly increase.

[ 16 ], [ 17 ], [ 18 ], [ 19 ], [ 20 ]

Another way to deliver progestins into the body

In order to deliver progestins to the body in another way and soften their effect on the body, there are forms in the form of intrauterine systems. This is a good way to deliver progestins to the body under the condition of excess weight and strong apatite, which in this case are not aggravated. In this case, progestins play the role of intrauterine contraceptives.

During menopause, you should not use such methods, since contraception is no longer your goal.

Good examples of intrauterine progestin providers are Mirena and Progestinsert. They provide the ability to provide progestins to the inner layer of the uterus, the rest goes into the blood. Due to the small amount of progestins in the blood, the skin will not react with a rash and redness, so this method of contraception is safer compared to oral forms of hormones.

[ 21 ], [ 22 ], [ 23 ], [ 24 ]

Cyclicity of progestin intake

If progestins are taken for more than six months, bleeding stops completely in 80% of patients. That is, the possibility of conceiving is neutralized. But in 20% of patients, on the contrary, bleeding can occur at any time. This is the effect of progestins on the body. Then additional consultation with a doctor and a change in the regularity of taking progestins will be required.

As for the studies that were conducted to determine the optimal progestin cycle, they found that taking progestin cyclically, with a break every month or every three months, a woman significantly reduced her risk of endometrial cancer, the inner lining of the uterus.

Therefore, it is necessary to calculate the dose of progestins so that it is possible to avoid uterine cancer and not to harm health by excessive intake with frequent bleeding.

[ 25 ], [ 26 ]

Progestogen phase

According to international studies, progestogen taken every day without interruption or every few days once every 3 months helps protect the uterus from cancer. But it is important how long a woman takes progestogen.

Laboratory experiments have shown that those who take progestogen for just a week have a 4% risk of developing cystic hyperplasia. Therefore, you should only take the drug as prescribed by your doctor and for the time indicated in the instructions. An indicator that you are taking progestogen incorrectly is bleeding during its use, not after.

The longer a woman takes progestin, the thinner the lining of her uterus becomes, and the bleeding becomes lighter and shorter.

For those who are against bleeding

If a woman does not want to continue her period, she needs to take progestin and estrogen in a combination prescribed by a doctor. Moreover, the phase of taking should be long, constant, daily. There is no need to take breaks. Doctors call such a course constant combination therapy. An example of a drug with a ratio of progestin and estradiol is Activella. It contains norethindrone and beta-estradiol in such ratios that do not increase appetite and do not make a woman panic from losing control over her weight.

Why is it necessary to monitor the composition of drugs

Experiments using controlled doses of progestin-containing drugs have shown that small doses of norethidron in these drugs reduce food cravings much more than those in drugs without it.

Those women who take progestins constantly, but do not include estrogens in their hormonal menu, then have problems with excessive irritability, depressed mood, and pressure drops. Progesterone in its pure form may not allow the hormone estrogen to fully influence brain receptors, which increases appetite, loses control over weight, and increases the level of bad cholesterol in the blood.

If your blood cholesterol levels were already high, taking progestin daily on its own can raise them even more, leading to problems with blood clots, vascular disease, and heart disease.

Pure progestins taken without interruption can worsen the situation with high blood sugar levels. This is especially dangerous for women with diabetes or for those whose bodies do not accept insulin.

Therefore, it is very important to take into account all the characteristics of your body and consult with your doctor in advance regarding the doses and cyclicity of taking progestins.

Progesterone drugs without a prescription

Are they dangerous or, on the contrary, harmless, since they are sold without a prescription? As a result of experiments, scientists found a molecule in one of the plants, similar in its effect to the effect of progesterone. There were also substances in the composition of this plant similar to natural estrogen. This plant is yam (wild potato), as well as soybeans, some legumes.

The properties of these plants are used in some creams that are advertised as sources of pure progesterone. They are offered for use without a doctor's prescription. Isn't it dangerous?

Creams with these components differ from the formula from which the chemical hormone estrogen or progestin is composed. This means that their effect on the body will be different. According to scientific data, these drugs will not be able to prevent endometrial cancer of the uterus, since they are too weak for this.

To have this effect, the contents of soy or yam creams must be processed using chemicals in a laboratory setting. The human body, receiving their natural components, phytosterols, will not be able to process progestins and estrogen in the same way as in a laboratory - that is, to make a drug from them for cancer prevention.

Over-the-counter creams and obesity

Patients who are offered creams with phytosterols instead of real progestins and estrogens may think that they act on the body naturally, without side effects. In fact, this is not the case. Such drugs, not having the effect of real hormones, mostly contribute to weight gain. And yet they are advertised as a weight loss drug.

In addition, the composition of the drugs may not indicate the actual doses of progesterone, which are greatly overstated. Taking such vaginal creams can lead to excessive bleeding, increased cholesterol levels, increased appetite, and weight gain that is difficult to control.

So, the effect of an over-the-counter drug may be completely opposite to what the woman expected.

[ 27 ], [ 28 ], [ 29 ], [ 30 ], [ 31 ], [ 32 ], [ 33 ]

How to stop taking risks?

Be sure to visit your gynecologist and show him the hormonal drug that you bought without a prescription to avoid dangerous health consequences. If you have already started taking this drug and you have symptoms such as weight gain, headaches, increased sensitivity of the mammary glands - it means that you are taking increased doses of progestin and do not know about it.

Based on these symptoms, you should understand that you need to change either the drug itself, or its dose, or the frequency of its use.

If after taking a hormonal drug there is heavy and frequent discharge that has changed color to darker and brighter, then you are taking too much progesterone and too little estrogen, which are part of the drug. You may not know about this from the manufacturer, so be careful and watch your body - it will tell you when to stop.

When progesterone is undesirable

Such a prescription is unnecessary and even dangerous when a woman is overweight or has no uterus due to its surgical removal. Moreover, the form of release of the hormone is not important - you should not use either oral drugs with progesterone, or creams, injections or hormonal patches with this hormone.

If an overweight woman does this, her appetite will increase even more, her body will become more resistant to insulin, and her growth hormone production will slow down.

In cases where a woman has excess weight of more than 10 kg, it is better for her to take estrogens without the participation of progesterone, which will stimulate the accumulation of fat.

Does progestin and progesterone cause bleeding?

Progestin and progesterone are found in hormonal medications that doctors prescribe after menopause. This allows a woman to maintain the function of the body's reproductive system.

Crinone and Pometrium contain optimal doses of natural progesterone

Progesterone of androgenic origin is contained in Aygestin, Micronor, as well as the contraceptive drugs Necon and Ovcon, as well as Modicon.

Progesterone of gastagen origin is contained in cyclin, provera, amen; ortho-cept, desogen, myrcet; ortho-cyclen.

When taking estrogen after menopause, it is important to support its effect with progesterone. In this way, a woman can avoid deposits on the inner fundus of the uterus due to the effect of estrogen. These deposits can be dangerous because tumors can develop in their place - benign or malignant.

The progestin in birth control pills helps a woman of reproductive age avoid unplanned pregnancy. Progestin (or progesterone) prevents ovulation from occurring, which means pregnancy will not occur. With the help of progestin, the uterus (its outer layer) becomes much thinner, an impenetrable mucus forms on its cervix, and sperm cannot penetrate it.

[ 7 ], [ 8 ]

Progestin and excess weight

Progestin or progesterone can be used to normalize weight. These hormones can help control (reduce) appetite, and a woman does not gain weight so quickly, the process of fat deposition slows down.

Before using progestin medications for this purpose, consult your doctor regarding dosages. The form of release of progestin medications (patch, tablets, cream, injection), concentration and type of hormones, as well as whether there are estrogen supplements in the complex are important.

Does progestin have any side effects?

Yes, and it is not the only one. If progestin is not secreted by the body, but enters the body from the outside, especially after menopause, it can be dangerous for a woman. Its side effects can be the following.

• A strong and constant desire to eat
• Swelling of the legs
• Increased irritability and mood swings
• Headaches that alternate with abdominal pain
• Weakness
• Excessive obesity
• Severe sensitivity of the breasts, especially the nipples, pain at the slightest touch
• Decreased sensitivity in other parts of the body

If you have already taken progestins carelessly and experienced their negative effects, it is worth checking your body for hormonal balance. To neutralize the effect of progestins on organs and systems, you need to check what drugs you are taking and coordinate their doses.

Progestin and estrogen must be balanced, as well as progestin and androgens. An endocrinologist will help calculate their doses and ratios.

It is important to know before taking progestins that their dose in hormonal drugs can be high or low. This determines how hormonal drugs affect the woman's body.

Hormonal drugs such as desogestrel and norgestimate contain a high concentration of progestins and a lower concentration of androgens. That is, their use is unlikely to lead to a negative skin reaction in the form of acne and redness. However, a high level of progestins will provoke the appearance of fat deposits, especially in the waist and hips, as well as the abdomen. These drugs can also provoke a depressed state, mood swings, and increased appetite.

Hormonal drugs such as Depo-Provera or Nor-Plant, or other oral contraceptives, contain progestin without any additives. This makes them more dangerous, because by taking them, a woman risks getting the maximum side effects from taking progesterones without the effect of estrogens. In this case, you can ask your doctor for an additional prescription of hormones with estrogens in the composition.

[ 9 ], [ 10 ]

Poor tolerance of progestins

Even if a woman takes progestins in their natural form, the body may react to them with poor sensitivity. Therefore, before taking these drugs, it is worth consulting a doctor, having done tests for hormone tolerance. Because side effects with poor tolerance of progestins can be headache, decreased sexual desire, bowel dysfunction, pain in the nipples at the slightest touch, bloating.

Then, according to research, you can take estrogens instead of progestins. If a woman's condition with progestin intolerance is accompanied by bleeding, then additional tests and a biopsy of the uterine endometrium should be done. This is a good prevention of uterine cancer and a decrease in the likelihood of bleeding if the doses of estrogens are calculated correctly. But do not forget about the endometrial biopsy and regular consultations with a gynecologist - once a month if necessary.

Can I have bleeding while taking progestin?

Yes, they can. Especially if you first took progestin and then stopped taking it. After that, menstruation occurs. At this time, the uterine layer (inner) is rejected and leaves the body. In this way, a woman is prevented from getting cancer, because it is on the inner layer of the uterus (endometrium) that cancerous tumors can form.

This condition is not very convenient for those women who are in the menopause period, because they have already gotten out of the habit of tampons and bleeding, and here they come again. And then women take progestins not with breaks, like contraceptives, but constantly. Thus, eliminating the possibility of bleeding.