By Jimmy Downs

Sunday Oct 21, 2012 (foodconsumer.org) -- You may or may not have been told to believe that endogenous estrogens are safer than synthetic estrogens used in hormone replacement therapy, which have been associated with increased risk of breast cancer and heart disease among other diseases.  

A new study in Netherlands Heart Journal tells us that endogenous estrogens, or estrogens produced in the bodies of animals or humans are associated with increased risk of acute myocardial infarction (heart attack).  This study suggests that using hormone replacement therapy may also increase risk of myocardial infarction in addition to breast cancer and heart disease.

Estrogens are traditionally viewed as protective against cardiovascular disease in premenopausal women.   Chinese researchers conducted a retrospective case-control study to examine how endogenous estrogens affect the risk of acute myocardial infarction in postmenupausal women.

The study led by M. Dong of  Yuhuangding Hospital, Yantai City, Shang Dong Province, China and colleagues included 30 incident cases of acute myocardial infarction and 6 controls and endogenous sex hormones and anthropometric parameters were determined at baseline.

Circulating oestrone, oestradiol, androstenedione and testosterone levels were found significantly higher in patients with acute myocardial infarction, compared to controls whereas the sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG) level was significantly lower. 

Oestradiol was found positively associated with body mass index and waist-to-hip ratio in cases, but not in controls.   And oestrone, oestradiol, testosterone, waist-to-hip ratio, body mass index, diabetes, and hypertension were all positively correlated with risk of acute myocardial infarction. 

After adjustment for other confounders, those with highest oestradiol were nearly five times as likely as those with the lowest level to develop acute myocardial infarction.  Similarly, those with the highest waist-to-hip ratio were about 6.5 times as likely as those with the smallest ratio to suffer acute myocardial infarction.

The researchers concluded "a higher level of oestradiol was potentially associated with primary AMI (acute myocardial infarction) risk among postmenopausal women."

Sex hormones are often used by postmenopausal women to ease menopause symptoms like night sweats and hot flashes.   A major trial was prematurely terminated due to the finding of the unexpected increase in the risk of breast cancer and heart disease in the study subjects.

Some physicians use bio-identical hormones to treat menopausal symptoms and claim these hormones are safer than the synthetic hormones used in hormone therapy. The current study may suggest that natural or bio-identical hormones can be as risky as synthetic ones if not riskier.

Dr. Bhagu R. Bhavnani at University of Toronto in Canada and Dr. Frank Z. Stanczyk at University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine in Los Angeles, California published an article in Journal Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism disputing such a claim.

The authors pointed out "The majority of these claims are unsubstantiated, and no rigorous randomized control trials have been carried out to support any of the claims."

Even worse, bio-identical hormones, often prepared by pharmacies without being rigidly regulated by the Food and Drug Administration, may pose additional risks in addition to the increased risk of hormones related diseases such as blood clots, myocardial infarction, stroke, breast cancer, and gall bladder disease because of the potential of overdosing.

The hygiene practice can be another problem with drugs prepared by pharmacies.  The recent fungal meningitis outbreak that has killed 23 patients as of Oct 21, 2012 was caused by fungi-contaminated steroid shots prepared by a compounding center in Boston, MA.

In a word, high circulating estrogens in postmenopausal women can be risky.