Natural estrogens — including the common varieties estradiol and estriol — are widely used in conventional medicine. Natural estrogens are extremely helpful for treating the symptoms of menopause, and can also slow osteoporosis, improve skin tone, and stop memory loss.

The most common estrogen used in conventional medical practice is called Premarin. Although Premarin is not technically a synthetic hormone — it is produced by pregnant mares — it is a foreign substance in the human body.

Premarin is a perfect hormone for a female horse, but there’s no reason for human women to use it, as we have natural, bioidentical human estrogens readily available.

In addition, Premarin has been associated with increased risk of blood clots and strokes — especially when prescribed orally instead of topically.

But unfortunately, oral Premarin therapy is the most commonly prescribed form in conventional medicine.

A comparison of Premarin with natural, bioidentical estrogens derived from plants found that women taking Premarin had a greater risk of blood clots. Women taking plant-based natural estrogen had no increased risk of clots.

I have used natural versions of both progesterone and estrogens more than 20 years, and I have yet to see one instance of serious adverse effect.