20-02-2010, 03:50
Thanks Carla I mostly agree with you. I wouldn’t say anything is definitive though, if it was definitive we would have a much better understanding and would not be having this conversation.
In theory it makes sense that the 1000 times weaker phytoestrogens would interfere with the estrogen not enabling it to bond to the receptors.
Though in recent research with woman on tamoxifen as well as phytoestrogens it was found that there were still efficacious amounts of estrogen in their blood work. This is counter-intuitive, but it seems they may not compete, it’s even possible that they could be used successfully along side each other. For example hot flushes are reduced while woman are on phytoestrogens as well as the tamoxifen. In fact this is a line of research that is currently being developed, so perhaps one day soon we will have an actual answer on the effects of estrogens and phytoestrogens.
It makes perfect sense that a doctor would advice to be wary of phytoestrogens while on an estrogen based medication if they were not aware of any literature stating otherwise. A doctor wouldn’t say “sure go ahead we don’t know what will happen but try it”. Of course not, that would be irresponsible. Though not because it is necessarily dangerous, just not understood.
I have heard of plenty of woman that are on birth control whilst taking phytoestrogens, granted isoflavones are much more potent than lignans, so it depends on the source to begin with, but some woman do not even think about the interaction it could possibly have until somebody else brings it up. By that time they may already have been taking phytoestrogens for sometime without having adverse effects.
How often do you hear in medicine, "we don't know why it works, it just does..."?
In theory it makes sense that the 1000 times weaker phytoestrogens would interfere with the estrogen not enabling it to bond to the receptors.
Though in recent research with woman on tamoxifen as well as phytoestrogens it was found that there were still efficacious amounts of estrogen in their blood work. This is counter-intuitive, but it seems they may not compete, it’s even possible that they could be used successfully along side each other. For example hot flushes are reduced while woman are on phytoestrogens as well as the tamoxifen. In fact this is a line of research that is currently being developed, so perhaps one day soon we will have an actual answer on the effects of estrogens and phytoestrogens.
It makes perfect sense that a doctor would advice to be wary of phytoestrogens while on an estrogen based medication if they were not aware of any literature stating otherwise. A doctor wouldn’t say “sure go ahead we don’t know what will happen but try it”. Of course not, that would be irresponsible. Though not because it is necessarily dangerous, just not understood.
I have heard of plenty of woman that are on birth control whilst taking phytoestrogens, granted isoflavones are much more potent than lignans, so it depends on the source to begin with, but some woman do not even think about the interaction it could possibly have until somebody else brings it up. By that time they may already have been taking phytoestrogens for sometime without having adverse effects.
How often do you hear in medicine, "we don't know why it works, it just does..."?