# should I balance my hormones? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 4, 2013, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-balance-my-hormones/665337 "2013-08-04T16:54:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![JackieLikesVariety](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackielikesvariety/32/296_2.png) [@JackieLikesVariety](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JackieLikesVariety)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2013, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-balance-my-hormones/665337/1 "2013-08-04T16:54:14Z")
First time I’ve seen a health care provider in my new location and she looked at the list of things bothering me and suggested blood tests to see where I’m at and then “balancing” my hormones. Apparently this is the [alternative medicine equivalent](http://www.johnleemd.com/store/news_bhrt.html). I know there are more answers she can give me before we put me on anything meanwhile I’ve been reading about conventional HRT and thinking about my other risk factors for breast cancer (some) and also for cardiac issues (more) what are your opinions? I see [Oprah](http://www.oprah.com/spirit/What-Oprah-Knows-for-Sure-About-Menopause-and-Hormones) did it! ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2013, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-balance-my-hormones/665337/2 "2013-08-04T17:01:12Z")
The very latest in borderline wooishness, promoted by GPs looking to boost sagging incomes. The only thing it will balance is the distribution of your wealth among that of the doctor and hormone companies. ---
**Author:** ![JackieLikesVariety](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackielikesvariety/32/296_2.png) [@JackieLikesVariety](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JackieLikesVariety)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2013, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-balance-my-hormones/665337/3 "2013-08-04T17:19:24Z")
and do you think the same of conventional HRT? ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2013, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-balance-my-hormones/665337/4 "2013-08-04T17:47:58Z")
> [@JackieLikesVariety](#): > > and do you think the same of conventional HRT? Well, what I think is pretty irrelevant. I had cause to look into “hormone balancing” for commercial reasons and found myself hip-deep in woo baloney; you’re welcome to do your own research and watch for the lack of scientific basis and frequent use of weasel-words and secondhand references. (Watch also for legitimate medical study citations when the abstract boils down to some irrelevant point.) All I know about HRT is that it’s been greatly deprecated in recent years as doing little or nothing while promoting breast and ovarian cancer incidence. YMMV. (Second M is “mammaries.”) ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2013, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-balance-my-hormones/665337/5 "2013-08-04T18:20:37Z")
> [@JackieLikesVariety](#): > > First time I’ve seen a health care provider in my new location and she looked at the list of things bothering me and suggested blood tests to see where I’m at and then “balancing” my hormones. She is mixing medicine with fantasy. Do not trust her advice, as she cannot tell the difference between science and tooth fairy magic. ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2013, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-balance-my-hormones/665337/6 "2013-08-04T18:45:07Z")
> [@Musicat](#): > > She is mixing medicine with fantasy. Do not trust her advice, as she cannot tell the difference between science and tooth fairy magic. I doubt that’s the case; it’s a case of selling largely harm-free treatment at a premium price. They don’t have to buy the whole theology to practice it. ---
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2013, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-balance-my-hormones/665337/7 "2013-08-04T19:20:22Z")
Well, my mum in law and sister in law, both nurses have refused HRT upon hitting the magical age, citing the issue that most women totally ignore - you _have_ to go through menopause complete with any hot flashes at some point, it is something the body is designed to do. There are apparently enough negative side effects to HRT that more and more women are refusing to actually do HRT. [ul] [li]Stroke.[/li][li]Blood clots.[/li][li]Breast cancer.[/li][li] Gallstones.[/li][li]Ovarian cancer.[/li][li] Dementia.[/li][/ul] [ul] [li] Headaches.[/li][li] Nausea.[/li][li]Vaginal discharge.[/li][li]Fluid retention.[/li][li] Weight gain.[/li][li]Breast tenderness.[/li][li]Spotting or darkening of the skin, particularly on the face.[/li][li]In rare cases, an increased growth of preexisting uterine fibroids or a worsening of endometriosis.[/li][/ul] Knock yourself out. Your body, your choice. I opted not to do HRT. I had a couple years of hot flashes which have finished with. I honestly wish I had had my hysterectomy 25 ears ago. ---
**Author:** ![nion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/c5a1d2/32.png) [@nion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nion)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2013, 3:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-balance-my-hormones/665337/8 "2013-08-05T03:47:27Z")
Username-thread title FTW 😃 ---
**Author:** ![JackieLikesVariety](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackielikesvariety/32/296_2.png) [@JackieLikesVariety](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JackieLikesVariety)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2013, 4:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-balance-my-hormones/665337/9 "2013-08-05T04:00:00Z")
> [@nion](#): > > Username-thread title FTW 😃 huh. I see what you did there… so I _should_, just for something different. ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2013, 6:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-balance-my-hormones/665337/10 "2013-08-05T06:54:33Z")
Well, this seems like the kind of thing that sure sounds like it outta be done. So yes, do it. I mean, who wants imbalanced hormones? Nobody, that’s who. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2013, 12:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-balance-my-hormones/665337/11 "2013-08-05T12:53:44Z")
This whole business about hormone replacement in women usually stems from this peculiar notion that menopause is somehow abnormal, or an illness, or something wrong. It’s not. It’s normal and natural for our species. Your hormone levels and relative proportions are _supposed to change_ at menopause, just as they change at puberty. The vast majority of women do NOT need HRT. They do need to get through menopause which does have unpleasant side effects in many women but, as **aruvquan** points out, you have to get through it sometime. It’s well documented that adding hormones you don’t need results in bad health risks. This whole notion of “balanced” hormones is woo-woo. There is a range of acceptable normal hormone levels and it’s broader than most people would suppose. Unless you have an \*actual \*deficiency don’t get on the pill carousel. ---
**Author:** ![DrFidelius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drfidelius/32/3447_2.png) [@DrFidelius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrFidelius)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2013, 1:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-balance-my-hormones/665337/12 "2013-08-05T13:00:19Z")
Damn, and here I am with all this adrenaline piling up on my left side. ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2013, 1:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-balance-my-hormones/665337/13 "2013-08-05T13:03:12Z")
I was kind of glad to reach an age when testosterone stopped piling up below my waist. ---
**Author:** ![Girlundone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/919ad9/32.png) [@Girlundone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Girlundone)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2013, 1:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-balance-my-hormones/665337/14 "2013-08-05T13:19:54Z")
[QUOTE=Broomstick] They do need to get through menopause which does have unpleasant side effects in many women but, as aruvquan points out, you have to get through it sometime. [/QUOTE] That is how my doctor explained it to me. The way I understood it, HRT is just prolonging the inevitable. Once one stops taking the hormones, the symptoms return and the body continues going through the process that it’s naturally designed to go through. My doctor did say that in some cases some women’s symptoms so greatly effect their quality of life that small doses of hormones seem to lessen the symptoms, but not stop the process altogether, allowing them to at least function and get through without extremely intense symptoms. I did not opt for HRT, and although I experienced some extremely uncomfortable symptoms, I probably had it easier than some in that I started early and the process only lasted maybe two years. I know some women suffer for many years. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2013, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-balance-my-hormones/665337/15 "2013-08-05T14:11:41Z")
Trying to stop menopause is like trying to stop puberty. ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2013, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-balance-my-hormones/665337/16 "2013-08-05T14:40:04Z")
> [@Broomstick](#): > > Trying to stop menopause is like trying to stop puberty. Except that tweens have no money to extract. ---
**Author:** ![Lamia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Lamia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamia)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2013, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-balance-my-hormones/665337/17 "2013-08-05T17:51:30Z")
> [@JackieLikesVariety](#): > > First time I’ve seen a health care provider in my new location and she looked at the list of things bothering me and suggested blood tests to see where I’m at and then “balancing” my hormones. Are the things that have been bothering you typical symptoms of menopause, or does your doctor think you have a gland problem like hypothyroidism? ---
**Author:** ![JackieLikesVariety](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackielikesvariety/32/296_2.png) [@JackieLikesVariety](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JackieLikesVariety)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2013, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-balance-my-hormones/665337/18 "2013-08-05T21:22:30Z")
> [@](#): > > Unless you have an actual deficiency don’t get on the pill carousel that would be the point of having labs done, first. > [@](#): > > Are the things that have been bothering you typical symptoms of menopause yes but > [@](#): > > or does your doctor think you have a gland problem like hypothyroidism? looking at everything; my understanding is that _all_ the glands are producing hormones not just ovaries and sex hormones anywho - thanks for everyone’s opinion, might post later after I get the blood work done