Does Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) Cause Cancer, Blood Clots, or Heart Attacks? Here’s the Truth.
If you’ve been told that hormone replacement therapy (HRT) causes breast cancer, blood clots, or heart attacks, it’s no surprise you’re hesitant. These fears are common—but they’re also based on outdated studies that don’t reflect how we practice hormone therapy today.
At Aberdeen Peak Hormonal Health, we use modern, bioidentical HRT that is carefully monitored and personalized to your body—and the science behind it is far more reassuring than the myths suggest.
📚 Where Did the Fear Come From?
The panic around HRT began in 2002 with the Women’s Health Initiative (WHI) study. It linked hormone therapy to increased risks of breast cancer, clots, and heart disease—but here’s what most people don’t know:
The study used synthetic horse estrogen (Premarin) and a synthetic progestin (MPA)—not the bioidentical hormones we use today.
Participants were mostly in their 60s, starting HRT 10+ years after menopause, when the body responds very differently.
Later analysis found **no increased risk—and even reduced risk—**when HRT is started earlier.
✅ What Newer Research Shows:
Modern studies on bioidentical hormone therapy—including oral estradiol, micronized progesterone, and testosterone—have shown:
No increased risk of breast cancer with bioidentical progesterone
Lower clot risk when therapy is monitored and appropriately dosed
Improved cardiovascular health in women who start HRT closer to menopause
Better mood, sleep, libido, metabolism, and body composition
Even oral estradiol, when used in bioidentical form and tailored dosing, has proven to be safe and effective in healthy women. And when we add testosterone for women with low libido, fatigue, or poor muscle tone, patients often see dramatic improvements—with no evidence of increased risk when properly monitored.
🧬 What About Testosterone in Women?
Testosterone isn’t just for men. Women need it too—for libido, muscle tone, confidence, energy, and mental clarity.
The fears around testosterone in women are also based on outdated or misapplied research, often from male populations or high, unregulated doses. In women, small doses of bioidentical testosterone:
Do not cause breast cancer
Do not increase heart attack risk
Can improve body composition, sexual function, and mood
Are safe long-term when monitored by a trained provider
We use low-dose, bioidentical testosterone cream, tailored specifically for women and adjusted based on labs and symptoms.
🩺 What We Use at Aberdeen Peak:
We use:
Oral bioidentical estradiol
Micronized progesterone
Low-dose bioidentical testosterone cream for women (and customized dosing for men)
Ongoing lab monitoring + symptom tracking
A whole-person, root-cause approach—not cookie-cutter medicine
🛑 Bottom Line:
HRT does not cause cancer, blood clots, or heart attacks when:
You're using bioidentical hormones, not synthetic
Therapy is started near the onset of menopause
Dosing is personalized and regularly monitored
The fears are outdated. The science has changed. You deserve relief, confidence, and vibrant health based on modern medicine—not myths.
Have questions? Not sure if HRT or testosterone is right for you?
📞 Book your free 15-minute phone consult today.
Let’s talk—zero pressure, just real answers and support.
