by Melanie Remy | Dec 18, 2020 | Wellness
Heart disease is one of the number one killers in the United States. Our women’s health care providers are here to help you stay healthy. That’s why we’re spreading the word about a subtle, but dangerous sign that you could have heart disease: fatigue.
Fatigue can stop you in your tracks and even signal serious problems like heart disease. Feeling abnormally tired? Talk to our women’s health care provider.
Many of us mistakenly believe that heart disease is mainly a concern for men. However, women are also at risk for this serious health condition.
Here are some quick facts on heart disease in women:
- Heart disease is responsible for 1 in every 5 female deaths
- 1 in 16 women 20 years old or older have coronary artery disease
Women often experience different symptoms of heart disease than men, which can make it hard to notice early warning signs. If you’re experiencing unexplained tiredness and fatigue, come to our women’s health clinic to help find the root of the problem.
Talk to our Women’s Health Care Provider if You Feel Unusually Tired
With the hustle and bustle of everyday life, of course we sometimes feel tired! However, there are some signs that you shouldn’t ignore your fatigue. For example, if you’re suddenly and overwhelmingly tired without understanding why, this could be something more serious than needing a nap or an extra few hours of sleep.
Some other fatigue symptoms you shouldn’t ignore include:
- You’re suddenly exhausted after doing your normal exercise routine
- You feel tired or your chest feels heavy even if you’re not exerting yourself
- Simple activities, like making your bed, wear you out
- You feel extremely tired, but are still having a hard time sleeping
These symptoms can signal that something may not be quite right with your health. For example, extreme fatigue can be a symptom of vitamin deficiencies, anemia, and other health conditions. It can also be a sign of heart disease or an impending heart attack.
Unfortunately, many women ignore these signs to seek women’s health care. We might chalk them up to aging, a busy schedule, or stress. However, if you’re not feeling like yourself, it’s always better to be safe than sorry and get checked out.
Heart Attack and Unusual Tiredness
Sudden on-set of extreme fatigue or tiredness is one of the top heart attack symptoms for women. Along with chest discomfort, shortness of breath, and indigestion, abrupt and unexpected fatigue is another symptom that many women experience before they have a heart attack.
The American Heart Association conducted a study in 2003 to learn which symptoms women might have of a heart attack. They looked at 515 women who had had a heart attack and found that many noticed unexplained fatigue and trouble sleeping. Some of the women even experienced these symptoms up to one month before their heart attack. The researchers in the study suggested that these symptoms may serve as an early warning sign.
In the study, 70% of the women experienced unusual tiredness before their heart attack. Also, 48% noticed they had sleep disturbances beforehand. Only 30% of the participants reported feeling chest discomfort, the symptom that most of us think of when we hear “heart attack.” What’s even more interesting, most didn’t report chest pain, but rather chest discomfort like tightness, aching, or pressure. The researchers suggested that recognizing symptoms like unexplained tiredness and difficulties sleeping may help people seek women’s health care to potentially help prevent or delay a heart attack.
High Blood Pressure and Fatigue
High blood pressure can make your heart work harder and increase your risk for heart disease, heart attack, and stroke. Nearly half of all adults in the U.S. either have high blood pressure or take medications to treat it. Your risk for high blood pressure increases with age.
High blood pressure is another condition that may make you feel extremely tired. Though high blood pressure is often called a “silent killer,” because it often doesn’t cause any symptoms, some people do feel extreme fatigue. Some signs you might have high blood pressure include fatigue, lightheadedness, feeling weak, and shortness of breath.
Also, you can also feel extremely tired due to heart conditions that may be caused by high blood pressure. For example, high blood pressure can lead to coronary artery disease, peripheral arterial disease, heart failure, and enlarged heart, all of which may cause fatigue.
When you come in for a health assessment from our women’s health care providers, we screen for many different conditions to help find underlying causes of your symptoms. We check your blood pressure and can help you find treatment solutions to reduce your blood pressure and the serious risks associated with it.
Chronic Fatigue & Heart Disease
If you’re chronically tired, this can be a sign of many other heart problems. Fatigue can be a sign of heart valve problems or heart failure. Also, studies have linked chronic fatigue with several heart problems. For example, many people who experience chronic fatigue also have left ventricular dysfunction. This is a heart condition where your left ventricle doesn’t pump blood properly. The left ventricle is the thickest heart chamber and is responsible for pumping blood full of oxygen to your organs. Congestive heart failure commonly follows left ventricular dysfunction. Therefore, it’s important to talk to our women’s health care provider if you’re feeling extra tired without an explanation.
Discuss your Heart Disease Risk Factors & What You Can do to Help Reduce your Risk for Heart Disease with our Women’s Health Care Team
When it comes to heart disease, women not only may experience different symptoms, but also different risk factors. For example, after menopause, your risk for heart disease increases, likely due to hormone changes. Some pregnancy complications can also be risk factors for heart disease, as well as conditions like endometriosis and polycystic ovary disease.
Some other things that may increase your risk for heart disease include:
- Diabetes
- Smoking/tobacco use
- Inflammatory diseases like:
- Rheumatoid arthritis
- Lupus
- Family history of heart disease
- High cholesterol
Our women’s health care professionals are here to help address your health as a whole. During your appointment, we’ll talk about your history and risk factors and help guide you on things you can do to lower your risk for heart disease. If you’re feeling excessively tired, we’ll help you find underlying causes of your symptom. Our providers listen and then help you with individualized treatment plans.
Compassionate, Understanding Women’s Health Care at HerKare
Our team at HerKare is here to help you feel great again. We put you in charge at our women’s health clinic. Our goal is to help you stay healthy and help improve your quality of life. Whether you need an annual exam or are coming in to talk about any symptoms or concerns you have about your health, we believe in providing compassionate women’s health care in a welcoming environment. We take time to listen and understand, and then help you feel better. Make an appointment today and let’s talk about your health and wellbeing!
by Melanie Remy | Dec 4, 2020 | Menopause, Wellness
Many herbal supplements are being marketed as alternatives to hormone therapy for menopause. Though they are often marketed with buzzwords like “effective,” “safe,” “natural,” or even “proven,” there’s little scientific evidence to back these claims.
Hormone therapy may help reduce menopause symptoms to help you feel great again!
Unfortunately, these supplement companies have tricked many into thinking that their products offer the same results as HRT. At the least, this means spending money on something that simply isn’t likely to help with your symptoms. What’s worse, you could be putting your health at risk by taking these herbs and supplements.
The North American Menopause Society advises doctors against recommending herbal therapies for menopause because they’re unlikely to be beneficial. However, that doesn’t stop some supplement companies from taking advantage. If you’re looking for menopause relief, it’s important to talk to our provider about all your options, including hormone therapy and lifestyle changes. We will discuss the pros and cons of each treatment option to help you make the right decision for you.
Hormone Therapy vs. Herbal Therapies: What the Evidence Says
The most effective way to help relieve hot flashes is estrogen hormone therapy. HRT has been around for years to help relieve menopause symptoms like hot flashes and may also help with other symptoms like mood changes and vaginal dryness. There are a lot of studies and medical research on hormone therapy for women with menopause, and it’s approved by the FDA.
By contrast, studies haven’t shown clear evidence that herbal remedies commonly marketed for menopause relief are effective. Most studies show mixed results or even no difference between placebo.
Now, you may have heard from a friend, family member, or co-worker that herbs and supplements have helped them with menopause symptoms. However, some experts argue that much of this anecdotal evidence may come down to the placebo effect.
The placebo effect is where people notice positive results from a treatment due to their belief in the treatment. That’s why most studies on new therapies and drugs include a group that takes the medication and one group that takes a placebo, such as sugar pills. This helps researchers determine if the treatment does offer positive effects that aren’t the placebo effect.
Potential Dangers of Herbs and Supplements
What’s important to remember is that even if something is all-natural, that doesn’t mean it’s safe. Poison ivy, for example, is completely natural, but you likely still avoid it. Many of the supplements advertised as menopause treatments can have serious, sometimes even life-threatening side effects. They may even interact with other medications you’re taking.
Black Cohosh
Black cohosh is one of the more popular herbs marketed as an alternative to hormone therapy. However, no studies have shown clear evidence to support these claims. Instead, research has shown that there’s little difference between this herb and a placebo.
Two studies, conducted in 2006 and 2009 even reported that some women had worse symptoms while taking black cohosh. In the 2006 study, women in the black cohosh group who also ate soy foods had worse symptom intensity. The other study from 2009 noticed that the women’s menopause symptoms were worse in intensity at six and nine months while taking black cohosh. Therefore, there’s a potential that black cohosh could make your menopause symptoms worse.
Also, there have been cases that linked black cohosh supplements with liver damage. Other side effects include upset stomach, headache, rash, vaginal spotting, and even weight gain.
Evening Primrose Oil
Evening primrose oil (EPO) is in several different dietary supplements marketed for a variety of health conditions from rheumatoid arthritis to PMS. This is also touted as a remedy for menopause symptoms like hot flashes. However, scientific studies have found no differences between EPO and placebo for menopause symptoms.
Also, it has a list of potential side effects that may be concerning, including:
- Inflammation
- Blood clotting problems
- Immune system issues
- Nausea
- Diarrhea
- Seizures
- Low blood sugar
EPO supplements may also interact with medications like blood thinners, blood pressure medications, antipsychotic medications, and antidepressants.
St. John’s Wort
Purported to help symptoms like depression, mood swings, and insomnia, St. John’s Wort is another herb that some say can help with menopause. Once again, studies show mixed results and no clear evidence that it’s effective.
This herb can cause some serious side effects. For example, sensitivity to sunlight, gastrointestinal symptoms, headaches, decreased libido, anxiety, and dry mouth are all listed as potential side effects.
Also, St. John’s Wort may also weaken many different medications, such as cancer medications, heart medications, blood thinners, antidepressants, birth control, and HIV drugs. Therefore, it’s vital to talk to our doctor about these potential interactions.
The Problem with Supplements and “Natural” Remedies: No FDA-Approval
So, why are these supplements and herbs often marketed as treatment for menopause? The main reason is that supplements aren’t monitored by the FDA. That means that the FDA doesn’t review the evidence of supplements for how effective they are or even how safe they are.
Because supplements aren’t regulated by the FDA. Therefore, the FDA doesn’t test them to see if they even contain the ingredients they claim to include. That means that some supplements may not even contain the herbs in the name of the product.
Also, different batches of these products may even vary widely in dose or amount of ingredient. Quality control and consistency can vary between brands, which can make it difficult to know exactly how much of an herb you’re taking.
Bioidentical Hormone Therapy Natural & FDA-Approved
By contrast, hormone therapy is FDA-approved, meaning the FDA has evaluated it for safety and efficacy. The FDA also regulates quality control to help with dosage consistency in different batches.
Bioidentical hormone therapy is a type of HRT that comes from plant sources. They are molecularly identical to human hormones, which means your body can’t tell the difference between bioidentical hormone therapy and the hormones your body naturally produces. Our providers use this natural hormone therapy to help with symptoms of menopause.
Menopause Care & Hormone Therapy at HerKare
At HerKare, we’re dedicated to providing advanced, compassionate health care. We believe in empowering you by trusting your understanding of your own body. Our team is here to help by providing you with personalized treatments to help you feel your best. Book an appointment today to talk about your symptoms. We’ll work with you to design an individualized treatment plan to help you feel like yourself again.
by Melanie Remy | Nov 20, 2020 | Wellness
Most of us know that getting a yearly checkup is important, but do you know which preventative women’s healthcare services you need each year? Unfortunately, there’s a lot of confusion around what your annual appointment should include. When you request a women’s annual exam, some physicians only conduct a gynecological exam and a breast exam. However, this may not address your health as a whole.
Women’s healthcare means looking at your health as a whole. Make sure your annual exams address every aspect of your wellbeing.
Instead, make sure you receive a comprehensive women’s wellness exam. These look at many different systems in your body. These appointments can help with preventative care and early detection of serious conditions. This is even more important as we age and our risk for serious health conditions goes up.
Preventative Women’s Healthcare Visits: Are you Getting the Services You Need Each Year?
Generally speaking, each year you should schedule an appointment to talk about your physical, sexual, reproductive, and mental health. Addressing each of these elements of your wellbeing can help you stay happy and healthy. However, in some clinics this means making multiple appointments and seeing different doctors. Many women each year receive medical exams that only address their sexual and reproductive health.
This often comes down to a misunderstanding of which women’s healthcare services are included in the type of appointment. For example, do you know the difference between a well woman exam and a women’s wellness exam? They may sound like the same thing, but many doctors provide different services for each.
Instead of dividing screenings up between different appointments and doctors, our providers offer total women’s healthcare solutions. This means we look at your health as a whole and can help you address many different aspects of your wellbeing to help you feel your best. We can combine all the services you need for a comprehensive checkup into one appointment to help make things easy for you.
What is a Well Woman Exam?
As we’ve mentioned, there’s a lot of confusion around what different terms mean for women’s healthcare. However, most people call their annual gynecological exam a well woman exam. These appointments are designed to mainly address your sexual and reproductive health. During a well woman exam, you might receive a pelvic exam, a Pap test, and a breast exam. You might also talk about family planning or your risk for sexually transmitted infections.
Pelvic Exam
A pelvic exam assesses whether your uterus, cervix, ovaries, and bladder are healthy. This includes a visual and a manual checkup to look for anything that might indicate that something might be wrong. Many physicians recommend getting a pelvic exam once per year, but you may need more or less frequent exams depending on your specific circumstances and risk factors.
Pap Test
Pap tests are a screening tool for cervical cancer and are often done at the same time as the pelvic exam. This test involves swabbing the cervix and then looking the cervical cells for abnormalities. In the past, women were recommended to get a Pap test every year between ages 21 and 65. However, these guidelines have changed, which may lead to some confusion over when you need a Pap test. Current recommendations are to receive a Pap test every three years so long as your past tests have been negative. Depending on your risk factors, our provider may recommend more frequent tests.
Breast Exams
Breast exams are another part of a well woman exam and are an important part of preventative women’s healthcare. These exams can help with early detection of many things, including breast cancer. From ages 20 to 40, the recommendation for women at an average risk for breast cancer is to receive a breast exam from their physician every one to three years. After 40, the recommendation is to receive a mammogram every year.
A mammogram is an x-ray for your breasts. Physicians use these x-ray pictures to look for changes to your breast tissue or other signs that could be cancer. Before 40, your breasts tend to be denser, which can make it difficult to detect the signs of cancer on a mammogram. That is why the recommendation switches from routine breast exams to mammograms as we get older.
What is a Women’s Wellness Exam?
A well woman exam is an important part of taking care of your health, but it’s not the whole story. A women’s wellness exam helps address your health as a whole and screen for conditions that aren’t necessarily part of your reproductive system.
A women’s wellness exam may include a well woman exam, but also looks at your overall health. At many other clinics, these are the appointments where you talk about your lifestyle and discuss your risks for conditions like high blood pressure.
Our women’s healthcare providers provide comprehensive women’s wellness exams to take a broader look at your health. Yearly checkups with our team include exams and screenings for your physical, mental, sexual, and reproductive health. We may conduct a physical exam, a gynecological exam, a blood test. We’ll also discuss options for staying healthy and any concerns you have about your health.
At your annual women’s wellness exam, our team screens for many different health conditions that may affect you, some of which may not cause any symptoms. For example, depending on your age and risk factors, we might screen for:
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- High blood pressure
- Diabetes
- Heart disease
- Sleep apnea
- Allergies
- High cholesterol
- Hormone imbalances
- Vitamin deficiencies
- Cervical cancer
- Breast cancer
- Sexually transmitted infections
Our team personalizes these screenings based on health recommendations and your individual risk factors. Also, we’ll talk to you about your lifestyle and help you determine if there are any changes you can make to help reduce your risk for certain preventable health conditions.
Women’s Healthcare Services and Screenings Should Change as You Age
Another important thing to know is that your annual exams and screenings will change as you age. As we get older, our health risks can change. Therefore, your yearly women’s healthcare exams should change, too.
We’ve already mentioned that you may need to switch to mammograms after a certain age, but that’s not the only change. Your exams may look different at each stage of your life. For example, your risk for osteoporosis goes up after menopause. Therefore, we may recommend including a bone density scan as part of your yearly checkup appointment once you reach menopause. Our women’s healthcare team personalizes your exam to you, which means it should change as your lifestyle and health risks do.
Find the Right Women’s Healthcare Physicians for You
In most cases, women should receive both a well woman exam and a women’s wellness exam every year. This can help you with early detection for preventable diseases and conditions. Only receiving a gynecological exam each year will likely not help detect things like high cholesterol or high blood pressure. Our women’s healthcare providers provide comprehensive annual women’s wellness exams to help you stay healthy. We provide both well woman and wellness services to help address your whole health.
At HerKare, our goal is to help you feel your best. Our team provides comprehensive, compassionate care for women at every stage of life. We are a clinic owned and operated by women for women. We listen and we understand your needs. Book an appointment with our team today. We are here for you.
by Melanie Remy | Nov 5, 2020 | Hormone Replacement Therapy, Menopause, Wellness
In the midst of flu season, the COVID-19 pandemic, and winter, where respiratory illnesses like colds can run rampant, many of us are wondering how to help our immune systems fight off viruses and other bugs that can make us sick. Studies suggest that estrogen replacement therapy may help improve your immune system after menopause.
Estrogen replacement therapy may help your immune system during menopause.
Several studies show that hormone imbalance treatment may help keep your immune system in good shape if you have low estrogen levels. Therefore, if you’re experiencing menopause symptoms, now may be the time to address them with our provider. We conduct a full blood panel to determine if your hormone levels are low and offer personalized care to help you take care of your health.
Your Immune System After Menopause
During our pre-menopausal years, the female immune system is generally stronger and more reactive compared to the male immune system. Many researchers believe this is due, in part, to higher levels of estrogen in our bodies. Studies suggest that estrogen may have an enhancing effect on immune response and our immune systems. Pre-menopausal women are less likely, on average, to experience infections like the flu or colds compared to after menopause. Also, post-menopausal women are more likely to experience more severe infections that may become life-threatening.
Both aging and low estrogen levels may have a negative affect on your immune system, potentially weakening it. After menopause, estrogen levels for most women are about 90% lower than they are before menopause. Therefore, during this stage in our lives, we experience a change in our immune system that may make us more vulnerable to infections. This is a concern at any time, but especially during the winter season where colds, influenza, and other illnesses are more common, as well as during the current pandemic. However, research suggests that hormone replacement may help regulate some of these immune changes.
Estrogen Replacement Therapy May Help Improve Immune Response
Estrogens may enhance many different elements of the immune system. For example, estrogens may help stimulate an inflammatory response in your body. This inflammatory response helps you fight off infections if you come into contact with bacteria, viruses, and other germs that can make you sick.
After a hysterectomy, women experience many of the same symptoms as menopause, because they produce lower estrogen levels. Research suggests that estrogen replacement therapy may help reverse some of the immune system changes that happen after a hysterectomy. This suggests that menopausal women may benefit from a stronger immune system when taking estrogen. Other studies have found that hormone therapy was associated with an improved systemic immune response for post-menopausal women. Therefore, estrogen replacement therapy may not only help alleviate uncomfortable menopause symptoms, it may also help your body’s immune system fight infections.
Estrogen & the Flu
There are several medical studies concerning how estrogen affects the immune system. Many of these studies involve the use of estrogen replacement therapy. For example, several studies show that estrogen replacement therapy may help improve menopausal women’s immune response to the influenza vaccine. In one recent study, women who received hormone replacement for menopause symptoms had better antibody responses to flu vaccines compared to those who didn’t take hormones. That study also saw a direct correlation between estrogen levels in the HRT group and the number of vaccine-specific antibodies in the blood.
Another study around estrogen replacement therapy and the flu is that estrogen may help reduce the amount of flu virus that can replicate in your body. When a virus infects one of your cells, it starts replicating itself. These replicated viruses then go on to attack more and more of your cells. The more the virus replicates itself, the more severe an infection can be. The researchers in the study suggested that this may be an added benefit of using hormone imbalance treatment for menopause symptoms.
Why Might Estrogen Play a Role in the Immune System?
Many medical studies look at the effects of declining estrogen levels during menopause on the immune system. Research has found that certain types of white blood cells decline after menopause. Post-menopausal women also generally have higher levels of cytokines, which can cause chronic inflammation. Also, studies have found that immune cell function are also reduced after menopause. Low estrogen levels are also associated with fewer B and T cells. However, estrogen replacement therapy may help reverse some of these effects on the immune system. One reason may be because of hormone receptors in immune cells. This may allow estrogen to help control immune response.
Also, estrogen levels may have an indirect influence on your immune system. Low estrogen levels during menopause may lead to some uncomfortable changes in your life that can affect your immune system. For example, many women experience insomnia during and after menopause. Lack of sleep can take a toll on your immune system and overall health. Another common symptom of menopause is anxiety, which may also affect your immune system the same way high stress levels might. Therefore, other changes during menopause could lead to a weaker immune system. Estrogen replacement therapy may help relieve these symptoms to help you feel your best and live a healthier, more comfortable lifestyle.
Let’s Talk about Estrogen Replacement Therapy for Menopause Symptoms
At HerKare, we are here to help you address your unique health needs at every stage of life. We provide comprehensive healthcare for women in a warm, welcoming environment. Our clinic is owned and operated by women who understand and take time to help you find underlying causes of your symptoms. Whether you’re experiencing uncomfortable menopause symptoms or are looking for preventative well woman care, our providers are here for you. We provide personalized treatment plans based on your lifestyle to help you feel better. Learn more about your health and how we can help you start feeling your best by booking an appointment today! Our team at HerKare is here for you.
by Melanie Remy | Oct 20, 2020 | Hormone Replacement Therapy, Menopause
An estimated 21% of American households purchase grapefruit juice, with many more eating the fruit whole. While grapefruits do have their positive effects, it’s important to understand that it may cause a drug-food interaction with estrogen replacement therapy. If you’re taking hormones for menopause symptoms, then it may be best to stay away from this citrus. The FDA requires a warning label about grapefruit and estrogen reactions on all estrogen medications, as it may cause serious side effects.
You may need to be careful about what you eat with estrogen replacement therapy. Grapefruits can cause serious food-drug interactions.
Does Grapefruit Affect Estrogen Replacement Therapy?
You might be thinking to yourself, “how much harm can a grapefruit cause?” When it comes to estrogen replacement therapy, it can actually be quite a lot. Grapefruit juice interacts with many different medications, including estrogen hormone imbalance treatment. Grapefruits and grapefruit juice affects how your body absorbs certain medications. In many cases, this may increase the amount of medication that goes into your bloodstream. It may also make medications stay in the body longer. Therefore, mixing grapefruits and estrogens may lead to serious health consequences from extra high estrogen levels.
How Does Estrogen Replacement Therapy Work?
There are three types of estrogens: estriol, estrone, and estradiol. Estradiol is the more potent form of the hormone, and the National Institute of Health deems it the most form of estrogen in a woman’s body. The goal of estrogen replacement therapy is to bring low estradiol levels back into healthy ranges. This can help with hot flashes, night sweats, mood changes, and many of the other symptoms of perimenopause and menopause. Bioidentical estradiol is an FDA-approved medication for helping relieve menopause symptoms, and this is the hormone replacement treatment we use to help treat low estrogen levels.
Estrogens, as well as other types of hormones, are the messengers of the body. They can change how cells in your body function. However, they can only change certain target cells. Target cells have receptors to a particular hormone that allows it to change the cell’s function. Whether naturally produced or as part of your estrogen replacement therapy regimen, estrogens work by binding to estrogen receptors in cells in your body.
How Does Grapefruit Affect Estrogen Levels?
So, how exactly does a grapefruit interact with medications like estradiol? Grapefruits contain organic compounds that affect many different enzymes. One of these enzymes is the CYP3A4 enzyme, primarily found in your liver and digestive tract. Estrogens, whether naturally produced or as part of your hormone imbalance treatment, are metabolized by this enzyme in your liver. By inhibiting these enzymes, grapefruit reduces how much estrogen you can metabolize. This leads to more of the hormone going into your blood.
The effects of grapefruits on your estrogen-metabolizing enzymes can last up to a few days. Over time, with frequent grapefruit consumption while taking estrogen medications, patients may even see estrogen levels increase by up to 30%. In addition, progesterone is also metabolized by the CYP3A4 enzyme. There are currently no studies that show the effects of grapefruit on progesterone. However, some researchers warn against consuming grapefruits with progesterone due to the potentially similar effects.
Can I Consume Any Amount of Grapefruit with Estrogen Replacement Therapy?
A common question we hear is, “what if I just limit how much grapefruit I eat?” Others wonder if it’s okay to drink grapefruit juice so long as it’s not on days when they receive their hormone injection. Unfortunately, even small amounts of grapefruit can affect your estrogen levels. In fact, most of the studies done on grapefruit-drug interactions were based on just one glass of grapefruit juice per day. Even one glass can affect medications for as long as 72 hours. Another study saw that estrogen levels increased significantly after eating just ½ a grapefruit per day.
Therefore, it’s best to avoid grapefruit, grapefruit juice, and other foods with grapefruit in them to be safe when taking estrogen replacement therapy. While this may seem easy, there are some foods and beverages that you wouldn’t expect to have grapefruit ingredients in them. For example, many citrus flavored soft drinks contain some form of grapefruit, so it’s important to check the labels.
What are the Potential Effects of Mixing Grapefruit and Estrogens?
You might be wondering just how bad the effects are of grapefruit and estrogen interactions. By causing more estrogen to enter your bloodstream rather than being metabolized, this can cause serious side effects. High levels of estrogen due to grapefruit consumption during estrogen replacement therapy may cause both short and long-term effects.
Short-Term Side Effects
In the short-term, after eating a grapefruit or drinking grapefruit juice, you may notice some side effects. Grapefruit juice may increase your risk for experiencing side effects from your hormone imbalance treatment. For example, you might notice menstrual pain, breast tenderness, nausea, headaches, or spotting. Some other effects you may notice is increased bloating, tiredness, or even weight gain. These could be due to the extra estrogen in your blood due to grapefruit’s effects on how your body metabolizes hormones.
Long-Term Effects of High Estrogen Levels
There are some other potential effects of mixing grapefruit with estrogen replacement therapy. Long-term effects may have serious consequences for your health. For example, long-term exposure to high estrogen levels is associated with an increased risk for breast cancer. Since grapefruits may lead to high estrogen levels, this is a potential effect. However, it’s important to note that researchers are still studying this potential effect.
Also, while grapefruit juice bottles often bear the American Heart Association’s heart healthy checkmark, mixing it with estrogen has the potential to affect your cardiovascular risks. Grapefruit can increase the amount of estrogen in your body, and high estrogen levels in your body can increase your risk for certain conditions. Some heart problems associated with high estrogen include an increased risk for heart attack, stroke, and blood clots. Therefore, it’s important to follow the FDA’s warning against ingesting grapefruit and grapefruit products while taking estrogen replacement therapy.
At HerKare, we provide quality, compassionate health care for women. Our medical professionals take the time to listen to how you’re feeling and the symptoms you’re experiencing. Then, we work to find underlying causes of your symptoms and find personalized treatment solutions for you. Schedule an appointment today to talk to one of our providers so we can help you start feeling better.
