The Affect Common Chemicals May Have on Women’s Hormone Therapy Presented By: Sean Snowden

What Is Hormone Therapy? Provides women with the hormones that decrease with age ERT vs. HRT Estrogen and progesterone During menopause these hormone levels start to fluctuate, causing some uncomfortable symptoms Hormone therapy is used to combat these symptoms and make the transition into menopause easier

The Benefits of Hormone Therapy Hormone therapy is used to relieve short- term symptoms Preliminary evidence shows that HRT may be helpful in preventing colon cancer, and macular degeneration Hormone therapy can help slow bone loss after menopause

The Detriments of Hormone Therapy Long-term risks Cancer- endometrial, breast, and ovarian Estrogen taken alone raises the risk of endometrial cancer so progestin is added to combat this risk Breast and ovarian cancer Heart disease Recent studies have shown that hormone therapy could increase women’s risk of heart disease, stroke, and pulmonary embolism

The Detriments of Hormone Therapy (Continued) Short-term side effects Side effects include vaginal discharge and bleeding, headaches, nausea, and fluid retention Short-term benefits or side-effects become apparent within weeks or months after treatment begins

Cost to Benefit Analysis For patient to decide Patient history taken into account Obviously involves weighing the benefit of the relief that hormone therapy provides with the risks that are associated to it There are natural alternatives available So why is hormone therapy still used in spite of the risks of cancer and heart disease?

The Study – Duke University Research team led by Donald P. McDonnell Team examined and found certain everyday chemicals that caused the levels of estrogen in the body to reach hazardous levels Study was based on cultured human cells and mice The Chemical in Question Research Findings Future goal: identify other chemicals with the same effect and prompt caution for patients Donald P. MCDonnell – Duke University

The Effects of Estrogen Overdose Estrogen produces effects inside cells in a very tightly controlled manner, so skewing that process by accelerating transcription can produce a variety of problems Estrogen overdose is poisoning from exposure to more than the recommended amount of estrogen hormones in medications May be administered orally, injected, or absorbed into the skin Excessive vaginal bleeding, fluid retention, breast tenderness, discoloration of urine, rash, nausea and vomiting, headache, drowsiness, mental changes Discontinue the estrogen, the poisoning is unlikely to be life threatening Serious symptoms are very unlikely

The Solution Patient Awareness Patient Screening A decrease in exposure, by removing the chemicals that cause this damage or developing new chemical that is not as harmful

The End Thank You, I Hope You Enjoyed

The Chemical in Question Ethylene glycol methyl ether is used as a solvent for types of resins, agricultural formulation, lacquers, paints and varnishes. It is used in cleaning products, preservatives, fixative for perfumes, germicides, bactericides, insect repellents and antiseptic. It is used as an additive for jet fuel to prevent ice buildup. Valproic acid is used among the top 100 drugs prescribed in the united states * Molecular formula: C 3 H 8 O 2 Ethylene Glycol Monomethyl Ether (EGME) Back to: The Study – Duke University Valproic acid is found in drugs that are used to treat migraines and headaches which is a common side effect of the hormone therapy, this leads to a potentially dangerous drug-drug interaction

Research Findings McDonnell and his research team suggest that for some women part of their complications with HT prior to the research conducted is attributed to the findings of the research It was found that both of the chemicals significantly increased the action of hormones in the body Boost of activity was eight- to ten-fold McDonnell focused his study on two similar chemicals that were known to affect the reproductive system

Research Findings (Continued) It was feared that these chemicals were mimicking estrogen and that it was causing illnesses What was found was not that the chemicals mimic estrogen, but rather they sensitized the cell to it by inhibiting enzymes inside cells that normally slow the process of gene transcription The result is to speed up cell activity, which potentially can fuel cell growth beyond what is normal Back to: The Study – Duke University