Estrogen plays many important roles in the body. For example, it is necessary for a woman’s menstrual cycle and for reproduction. It also supports cardiovascular and bone health. And, while estrogen is needed for the development of breasts, too much exposure to estrogen can also increase a woman’s risk of breast cancer. Estrogen can stimulate breast cell division and can support the growth of estrogen-responsive tumors.
Within the body, there are different estrogen metabolites which are known to be either beneficial or harmful. Simple urine tests are available to measure the metabolites and ratios to assess one’s risk. For example, the company Metametrix offers a test that measures the 2-hydroxyestrone (“good” estrogen) to 16-α-hydroxyestrone (“bad” estrogen). The 2:16 ratio can assess a woman’s long-term risk for breast, cervical, and other estrogen-sensitive cancers. Higher concentrations of 2-metabolites and lower concentrations of 16-metabolites may reduce breast cancer risk as well as the risk for other hormonally-related cancers. The good news is that nutritional interventions can promote a healthy 2:16 ratio.
In a recent study involving 47 premenopausal and 49 postmenopausal women, the results indicate that supplementation with an herbal formula may reduce the risk of breast cancer. Continue reading “Herbal Formula Shows Promise for Reducing Breast Cancer Risk”
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