Natural Hormone Balance for Women: Look Younger, Feel Stronger, and Live Life with Exuberance

Natural Hormone Balance for Women by Uzzi Reiss MDThis is currently one of the best books for women who want to know about natural bio-identical hormones for the menopausal symptoms of night sweats, hot flashes, insomnia, weight gain, and foggy mind.I met Uzzi Reiss at a medical meeting a few years ago, and he mentioned his new book during conversation. After returning from the meeting, I read Suzanne Somers' book in which she mentioned that Uzzi Reiss had been one of her doctors during her long odyssey to find bio-identical hormone replacement. As a gynecologist with a large clinical practice in Los Angeles, Dr. Uzzi Reiss has accumulated a considerable amount of knowledge and experience using natural hormones for women, and Dr. Reiss is one of the few physicians willing to share this knowledge.Reiss's book provides a practical guide for the safe use of natural hormones, and answers the following questions:1) When to use natural hormones, when to not use them2) The difference between unsafe patented synthetic hormones, and the safe natural hormones.3) Why natural hormones are safe.4) What route of administration is best, pills, gels, creams, drops, etc.5) What are your possible responses to each hormone in terms of how you will feel.6) How to monitor our response and adjust your hormone dosage individually.7) How to work with your doctor to adjust your hormone dosage for optimal effect avoiding hormone excess symptoms.Regarding hormone testing:Dr. Reiss uses blood testing for baseline hormone levels, however, he says: "The heavy reliance on normal-range readings is nothing less than a tragic, medical addiction"Dr. Reiss's approach:After a routine history and physical exam, baseline blood hormone levels and a pelvic sonogram, treatment is started at a relatively low hormone dosage, adjusting upward as needed. For the adjustment phase, Dr. Reiss empowers his patients with the knowledge to adjust their individual hormone levels. This is done based on symptoms of hormone deficiency or excess, clearly described in detail in his book, which serves as an educational tool for his patients.Separate chapters are devoted to Estrogen, Progesterone and Testosterone with very detailed descriptions of symptoms of hormonal deficiency and hormonal excess. Dr. Reiss does not discuss thyroid, leaving that for other authors. Also, there are only limited comments about adrenal fatigue and the problems associated with low cortisol.A major strength of the book is that Dr. Reiss provides exact hormone dosages and route of administration for his Los Angeles patient population. However, as a matter of practical experience, I have found his starting estrogen dosage somewhat on the high side of the scale for my area of the country, so I would caution the reader about that. Also, Dr. Reiss does not explain why he changed the standard formulation of Tri-Est (10/10/80) to a different unique formulation of Tri-Est gel (0.25E1/ 0.75E2/ 2.75E3). According to most large national compounding pharmacies, the most common formulation is Bi-Est in 0.625 mg to 1.25 mg dosage with (20 E2 / 80 E3) formulation.In any event, these minor flaws are outweighed by the many strengths of the book which empowers women to learn about natural hormone balance. I applaud Dr. Reiss for providing a valuable public service with a book that should be in every woman's library on natural hormone replacement.Jeffrey Dach MD

Best book I've read for bioidentical hormone replacement for women (I have read dozens). The author is an MD with decades of experience in this field. What makes his book the best is(1) he gives very specific suggested starting doses and formulations for bioidentical hormones (they are compounded, so come in different strengths and different routes of administration) so that even if your own doctor is not familiar with bioidentical hormone replacement (as few doctors are) this book will tell him/her exactly where to start as well as the rationale behind it.(2) he lays out a protocol for what order to introduce different hormones if a woman needs to replace several different ones, including a gradual, well-spaced introduction of each one so that the woman can tell which hormones are causing which effects and adjust accordingly. For example he explains and discusses estrogen (estradiol, estriol, estrone), progesterone, testosterone, DHEA, pregnenolone, HGH and more.(3) throughout the book, he stresses that, while labs and various ongoing checkup tests are important, the ultimate guide for treatment is the woman listening to her own body and its responses to different treatment approaches (imagine that-- a doctor who believes a woman can be an expert on her own body!)He covers bioidentical hormone replacement needs over a woman's lifespan-- some women have hormonal imbalance issues beginning as teenagers, some women have premature ovarian failure as early as their 20s, many women are plunged into premature menopause by hysterectomy (even without oopherectomy, ovarian die-off is frequent after hysterectomy), then as a woman ages she encounters first perimenopause and then menopause. The treatment approach differs somewhat in each case, and he covers the various different scenarios.Finally, he addresses controversies about bioidentical hormones and alleviates misunderstandings about potential harm from replacing them.Bioidentical hormone replacement is particularly discouraged by pharmaceutical companies. They cannot patent bioidentical hormones (molecular structures same as the hormones naturally found in the body), thus cannot profit from them, thus discourage them, thus most doctors are prejudiced against bioidentical hormones and almost completely ignorant about them. Instead, pharmaceutical companies have tinkered with the original molecular structures of the body's hormones, ending up with chemicals that are not normally found in the body at all. These are then patentable and profitable. These have also been shown to cause all kinds of problems for women. The other main approach by pharmaceutical companies is to concentrate the urine of pregnant mares (Premarin) and market that to women with hormonal deficiencies. As you may guess, mare estrogens, while "natural" to mares, are molecularly different than human estrogens, not to mention the poor mares being kept in small enclosures and deliberately dehydrated in order to concentrate their urine. It is true that a few of the hormones pharmaceutical companies sell are bioidentical, and a step in the right direction. The advantage of compounded bioidentical hormones, though, is that dosages and routes can be custom-made where pharmaceutical hormones are in pre-set dosages and routes of administration.Dr. Reiss works in Hollywood, and I am guessing has contributed to how young many of the female celebrities appear even in their 50s, 60s, 70s. Much more important than appearing younger, however, is the tremendous gains in quality of life that come from bioidentical hormone replacement.Note: His Superwoman book wasn't nearly as good as this one.

Author was spot on, helped me navigate a tough time and his resources helped me find the right pharmacy as well as have a productive dialog with MDCouldn't have gotten through this time without it.

This book is oriented around concepts for hormone balance, but that is not why I recommend it. It does a good job of explaining the process of hormone production. An informed biological understanding can help women struggling with hormones to identify symptoms in their own bodies and to better communicate with a doctor. In my experience, doctors want to prescribe medications and make assumptions about dosage without knowing their patient's baseline. I was prescribed progesterone at levels that were too high, thus creating another set of issues. Before that, I was dismissed as suffering from "stress" instead of peri-menopausal hormone imbalance. This book helps you to become your own advocate. It does focus on bio-identical hormone replacement, but don't let that force you down a particular path. Many women enter into peri-menopause without knowing what to expect. That is the main benefit of this book. It helps you understand what is happening. If you are reading this review and are struggling, hang in there! There is hope, and there are many alternative options for getting back to your new "normal".

It was written in 1997 and printed in 2002, the first few chapters you can tell it’s completely outdated. Things have changed so fast, don’t waste your money. My return window is closed but I wish I could return it.

Well written and easy to understand. This is a great book to learn about the different options available to balance your hormones during the peri-menopausal/menopausal years. It clears up the differences between HRT and Bio-identical HRT. Although Dr. Reiss recommends that you go to a doctor who specializes in Hormone Health (bio-idential), I really appreciate that the book also helps you to monitor your own hormone health needs (whether a particular hormone is too high or too low) by providing symptom lists. I like that this book promotes listening to your own body to figure out what you really need as blood tests are, at times, unreliable indicators. As a peri-menopausal woman myself, after reading the book I felt comfortable with trying a natural progesterone cream to help with my Estrogen dominance symptoms and it made a huge difference to my quality of life! I have recommended this book to friends who are struggling with their hormone health.

This is information that every woman should read, as even when young there are things we can do to ensure we age better. Sure wish I had read it long ago, although it is still very helpful now, after I have had issues with various parts of my endocrine system, probably all due to hormonal imbalance. I would have definitely done things differently, taken more responsibility earlier on for my hormonal health. As a total wellbeing consultant myself, I heartily recommend this ladies! However, it was written a while ago, and I think the advice regarding soya is out of date - I would not recommend soya now for various reasons, but also including that it is likely to be genetically modified.

This is a brilliant book. I have bought three copies so far to give to friends and FamilyI think every woman from late forties onwards needs to read this book . Doctors should read it too !! Just about to order another . Wish I had read it a few years ago