Prescription Estrogen vs. Natural Estrogen Creams

[Guest]

Dr. Todorov,
I can't seem to find an answer to this question on here. Can you please give your opinion on the effectiveness of the "all natural" Estrogen creams (natural Estriol, etc.) for use to combat wrinkles on the face? Will these work or do I need to use the prescription Estrogen creams?
If this has already been answered somewhere, I apologize, but I tried to read through everything on here and couldn't see this addressed.
Also, in your Skin Rejuvenation Infopack, is their information on how to mix your own facial Estrogen cream? I'd like to order that.
Thanks

[drtodorov]

I am not sure what you mean by all-natural but at least some of the studies showing the benefits of estrogen creams for the skin used estradiol and/or estriol.

[Guest]

Here is the descriptions from a site that sells "natural estriol":

"Ostaderm is a wild yam derived phytoestrogen. The natural plant derived estrogens have the same chemical structure as the estrogen produced by the body. The synthetic hormones have different chemical structures & therefore different side effects. Evidence is accumulating that the negatives associated with estrogen replacement are caused largely by the form in which it is given.

Ostaderm Cream contains 3 forms of natural estrogen called Triple Estrogen. It contains 10% estrone, 10% estradiol, 80% estriol, otherwise known as E, E2, & E3."

From what I can read, the prescription estriol is what they are saying is not in the natural form. Does that make sense? Do you know what the difference would be and if these "natural" estrogen creams will work on facial wrinkles as well? Some of the sites list as their ingredient: "micronized natural estriol USP". Any help you could give me would be great. This gets pretty confusing.
Thanks again.

[drtodorov]

There is much confusion related to using terms synthetic and bioidentical as opposites. They are not.

It is true that estrone, estradiol, estriol are indeed estrogens found in the human body, i.e. they are human bioidentical estrogens. Wild yam does not contain these hormones. If they are "derived" from yam, it really means that they are synthesized using yam's estrogem-like compounds as precursors (raw material). Therefore in the strict sense this company sells are selling synthetic bioidentical estrogens. (In fact, it makes no physiological difference whether a truly bioidentical hormone is synthesised or isolated from a biosource.)

Conversely, Premarin, for example, is not synthetic in the sense that it is isolated from a pregnant mare's urine rather than synthesized. However, due to some differences in physiology between human and horse, Premarin is not fully bioidentical for humans.

Does "bioidentical" matter?

In theory, bioidentical estrogens may work better and be safer since they better match human physiology. In reality, the advantages of bioidentical estrogens over conventional HRT formulations are still debated and are far from being proven beyond doubt.

[Guest]

Thank you so much for your reply. That clarifies things for me! Again, this is a wonderful site and I appreciate your help.

[Susan0001]

Maybe it is too early on a Sunday for me, but I am still not getting this. Do you think that using the yam derived creams may be similar to using the prescription creams?

Thanks and sorry for being so dense.

[drtodorov]

Yam creams are unlikely to be as effective as actual prescriptoion estrogens, whether bioidentical or not.