Important Notice:
  No one at Natural Alternatives is a health professional, and for that reason, we are unable to answer specific questions about your health or what products you need to address health problems. We want to be able to go on offering these products for the benefit of our customers, so we ask you to please not put us in a position to lose the ability to do so.
  We have a great deal of information from published sources (Dr. John Lee, Dr Jonathan Wright and others) on our website.
  We also have information  and recommended  use of specific products provided by the manufacturers.
Please do not ask us to recommend, diagnose or explain how any product will work for you. For medical questions, please consult your qualified health care professional or read one or more of the excellent books below. We offer 2 books on our site and others  can be ordered from Amazon.com or your local library.
 

Below are some of the most commonly asked questions:

Q. What is the first hormone I should supplement?
A.  Dr Lee and other authorities on the subject of hormone balance, have explained that women begin to lose the ability to produce Progesterone much earlier than estrogen. Quite often, by the time a woman reaches 40, her progesterone levels have dropped low enough to result in her experiencing "Estrogen Dominance" as Dr. Lee refers to it. Low progesterone can even occur in young women and can result in Migraines, Fatigue, Irritability, Cramping, Anxiety, Mood Swings, Depression, Fat Gain, Water Retention, Foggy Thinking, Breast Tenderness, Fibrocystic Breasts, Irregular Menstrual Periods, Miscarriages, Infertility, Decreased Sex Drive, Dryness, Endometriosis, Bone Loss, Hair Loss, Hot Flashes, Insomnia, Premature Aging, PMS, Menopausal Symptoms and Bone Loss. So it would make sense to supplement progesterone if you are experiencing any of these. Quite often, just adding progesterone will restore normal balance and make a world of difference in how you feel. Another excellent supplement that does not add hormones, but helps strengthen the glands that produce them naturally is Royal Maca. You can use both progesterone and Royal Maca at the same time.

Q. If I am pre or peri-memopausal, do I need estrogen?
A. It depends on what your hormone test or syptoms show. According to Dr. Lee, most women are able to make sufficient estrogen well after menopause if they still have their ovaries. Estrogen can also be produced in the Adrenal Glands and even in the fat cells. However, there are certain symptoms that do indicate low estrogen and the possible benefit of using estriol creme. They are, (according to Dr. Lee's Hormone Questionnaire) Night sweats, Vaginal dryness, Painful intercourse, Memory problems,  Bladder infections,  Lethargic depression,  Hot flashes.

Q. Dr Lee and other authorities say that women need progesterone if they are approaching menopause or have had a hysterectomy.  Why did my Doctor tell me I don't need progesterone after my hysterectomy?
A. That's a very good question!  One can only guess, but a little history of hormone supplementation provides a few clues. At one time, estrogen was given freely without the use of progesterone to balance it. Then it was realized that unopposed estrogen promoted cancer in women with a uterus so, since the pharmaceutical industry needed to add progesterone to balance the estrogen, they patented a synthetic progestin that mimicked progesterone to be given with estrogen. The results of the WHI study tells the rest of the story....synthetic progestins added to estrogen actually increased the risks of cancer, heart attack, stroke and blood clots.
    So now, since they do not have a safe form of  patent progestin, the direction seems to have turned back to giving just estrogen to women who have had their uterus removed. When doctors think about progesterone, perhaps they are only thinking of the fact that it protected the uterus from cancer for their patients on Estrogen. So maybe they think that if you don't have a uterus, you don't need progesterone.
   I love the response in Dr. Jonathan Wright's book "Natural Hormone Replacement" to a woman who told him she didn't need progesterone because she had a hysterectomy. He asked her, "when your uterus was removed, did they remove the rest of your body?" He went on to explain to her that there are progesterone receptors everywhere in your body and progesterone affects every tissue of your body, that the receptors wouldn't be there without a reason.
   And even if you are low in estrogen, progesterone drops much faster than estrogen and its possible to still be estrogen dominant if you don't supplement progesterone.

Q. My doctor told me that Premarin® is "natural estrogen" since it comes from horses.
A. Natural for horses....not for humans!  I'll quote Dr. Wright again, " horses have all the enzymes they need to process equilin (a strong horse estrogen, not common to humans) but humans do not. The use of horse estrogen can lead to serious problems. For this reason, conjugated estrogens are, strictly speaking, not natural to human beings."
If you are not familiar with how Premarin® is produced, please click on the link below:
 http://www.femfatalities.com/Premarin.asp

Q. Have natural hormones been studied for safety?
A.  Once again I'm going to quote Dr. Wright from his book "Natural Hormone Replacement":
"No and Yes. No, these hormones have not been "tested" in the large, expensive, double-blind studies that some modern scientists can't live without. But, there's 30 to 40 years experience using patentable "hormone" replacements--Premarin®, Provera®, things like that--and there's very little doubt that natural hormone replacement can do much better than those mismatched molecules"
And Yes, natural hormones have been thoroughly checked out for thousands of generations of women. Nature seems to have settled on them as the safest possible."

Q. Don't I need a prescription for estriol?
A. Natural Estriol is made from ingredients in plants: wild yam or soy. Since it is a natural product, it cannot be patented unless it is altered in such a way to make it a synthetic version. Natural products, including natural hormones do not normally need a prescription.The future of estriol as an "over the counter" product is currently an issue with the FDA, so we cannot guarantee that it will continue to be available. Time will tell.   If your doctor says you need a prescription to get it from your pharmacist, that is because the pharmacist is filling it at the doctors order, so the pharmacist is the one that needs the presciption....not the product!

Q. Does the estriol or progesterone contain wild yam or soy?
A. These hormones for NHR get their start from the wild yam, which is rich in 'precursor' molecules easily converted by biochemists into other molecules that are identical in every way to 'natural' estrogens, progesterone, testosterone and other hormones"
  So, even though the estriol and progesterone are derived from ingredients in the wild yam, these ingredients are actually converted to the hormones themselves by a process that occurs in the laboratory. So it would not be correct to say that there is wild yam or soy in the Estrogen or progesterone creme.
  Dr Lee explained that wild yams are very rich in cholesterol,  and hormones are derived from cholesterol. We naturally make hormones from the cholesterol in our bodies (a reason why many very thin women have a hard time producing enough hormones) In the same way, a chemist can add enzymes to the cholesterol and bring about the conversion to specific hormones in a test tube.

Q. How can I know if I need hormones and what ones I need?
A. You can have a Saliva Hormone test done by a lab that specializes in this. We offer Saliva Hormone Test Kits on our website, or, if you are aware of your symptoms, you can use Dr. Lee's Hormone Questionnaire to help you make a decision.

Q. Why do I need a saliva test? My doctor uses a blood test for testing hormones?
A. To see why saliva testing is the most accurate please read what Dr. Lee has to say here.

Q. Do the bioidentical hormones help with fibrocystic conditions, such as Fibrocystic breasts and Fibroid Tumors.
A. Dr Lee addresses this in his books, linking these conditions with low progesterone and estrogen dominance. Read a brief page of
information here
Dr William Wong also gives a very clear decription of what causes these and his protocol for treating it here.

Q. Will I start having  periods again if I start on Bioidentical hormones?
A. It is unlikely that you will have this happen using the dosage recommended on the products unless you are still peri-menopausal or it has just been a few months since you had your last preiod. In that case, it is possible that using the bioidentical hormones could restore your period temporarilly. However, you should gradually stop having periods. The goal of using natural hormones, according to Dr. Lee, is to just restore the levels that keep you from having symptoms and stop the process of accelerated aging, including bone loss.

Q. What about the Wiley Protocol that uses large doses of hormones with elaborate cycling to restore the menses in post menopausal women?
A. We cannot comment on that, but Virginia Hopkins Dr.Lee's co-author) gives a good reasonable answer in her newsletter here. (Be sure to come back to this page after reading her comments)

Q. Is it either beneficial or harmful to use bioidentical homones if I am concerned about heart disease?
A. Once again, Virginia Hopkins has an excellent article on that in her newsletter. It is reporting on a study done on the effect to the heart by using Bioidentical hormones. Click here

Q. How do I know if I need Testosterone?
A. If you have scored high for it on Dr Lee's Hormone Questionaire, you might want to try it. Usually the symptoms are low sex drive, lack of energy, foggy thinking, lack of lean muscle. A little testosterone usually goes a long way with women, so start slowly and watch your results to tell if you are getting enough or too much. Irritability or agressiveness might indicate that you are using too much. It is best used just before exercise or sexual activity. The Testosterone product that we offer is a Homeopathic version so it actually does not contain any real testosterone. Real testosterone is a controlled substance that must be obtained by prescription.

Q. Do you guarantee that the products will work for me, and can I return them if I'm not satisfied with the results?
A. We cannot make any guarantees about how the products will work for any individual. The goal is to attain hormone balance and the time needed to accomplish that is dependent on many factors, including age, health, diet, nutritional deficiencies, whether your glands are funtioning properly and how long your homones have been out of balance.  You may need to adjust your dose back and forth to find what works best for you. Remember, if you have decided to take responsibilty for your own hormonal health, you need to have as much knowledge as possible, so be sure you read at least one or several of the books highlighed above. If you would like to read the testimonials of others who are using our products, please click here.
  Please give the products at least 1 or 2 months to re-establish hormone balance. Due to the importance of progesterone in hormone balancing, we would rather you did not order estrogen creme if you are not going to also use progesterone creme. If you already have a progesterone cream, please continue to use it until it is gone, but do consider ordering our progesterone when you run out. You will be very happy with its effectiveness!
We will refund any products returned with unbroken seals but not products that have been opened. We can't refund the shipping cost. A 10% re-stocking fee will be applied to any unopened returns. Returns must be approved in advance by phone or email. We will need to have you include your invoice or packing slip and the credit card number used to order, since we don't store your card number in our computer.

Bioidentical Hormone Product Directions: (provided by the manufacturer)

PROGESTERONE CREME:  2 oz Jar or Pump Bottle or new 4 oz Dispenser Bottle (2 pumps dispenses 20 mg)
 ¼  teaspoon of creme provides 20 mg of micronized natural progesterone USP. Choose skin
areas that are relatively thin and well supplied with capillary blood flow Rotate application areas daily.
Directions:
WOMEN:
PREMENOPAUSE: Apply daily ¼  teaspoon creme for 14 days beginning on the 12th day after the period starts. Repeat monthly. Use additional creme and more days if needed. Women who are menstruating should take at least 5 to 7 days off each month to allow period to begin.
POSTMENOPAUSE: Apply daily 1/4 teaspoon for 21 consecutive days.
MEN: Men also need a small amount of progesterone if they have prostate problems or are using Testosterone. Use 1/2 the amount used by women or 1/8 tsp daily.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________

ESTROGEN CREME (Estriol) 2 oz Jar or Pump Bottle or new 4 oz Dispenser Bottle (2 pumps dispenses 20 mg)
Active Ingredient: 50 mg Micronized Natural Estriol USP in a  Liposome Delivery System
Directions: Start with ¼  teaspoon (1 mg). Use between 1 - 4 mg. Use in conjunction with natural progesterone USP  Add or decrease dose according to symptoms.
Choose skin areas that are relatively thin and well supplied with capillary blood flow Rotate application areas daily.
It is best to give your body a rest from Estriol at the same time that you do progesterone. Use Estriol Crème only on skin, not designed for internal use..
Estriol Oil is available from Natural Alternatives and may be used intra-vaginally for vaginal dryness or irritation.  1/8 tsp equals 1 mg of Estriol.
Use as needed vaginally at least every other day, to help with vaginal dryness or atrophy. An applicator is sent with your bottle if you choose to use it. You can remove the cap or pump from the bottle each time you use it and insert the applicator into the bottle, drawing up 1/8 tsp (between the 5 ml and 6 ml mark on the applicator syringe) and then insert it into the vagina and push the plunger in. It is best to do this while lying on your back as it does not run back out as easily this way. Take the applicator apart and wash thoroughly after each use.
You may also use 1/8 – ¼ tsp Estriol Crème topically if you need help with other symptoms of estrogen deficiency.
________________________________________________________________________________________________

TESTOSTERONE GEL FOR MEN and WOMEN - 4 oz bottle
Developed to increase libido, build lean muscle mass, gain clarity of mind and boost energy.
 A safe and natural alternative to pharmaceutical drugs like AndroGelTM ViagraTM and anabolic steroids.
 Testosterone 30X Gel is a synergistic bio-available herbal formula in a proprietary liposome delivery system
  Safely and naturally boost the level of testosternone in the body and maintain those levels for hours.
  Safely and naturally improve blood flow to the genitals by increasing the level of testosternone in the body
Directions: Apply 1/2 teaspoon gel on upper body daily for 21 days. Stop for 1 week. Start again for 21 days. Stop for 1 week. Start again for 21 days. This is referred to as "cycling". About 1 hour before exercise or sexual activity, apply 1 or 2 teaspoons gel.  Not a lubricant
Both types of applications may be applied on the same day. Apply to skin with the least amount of hair. Choose skin areas that are relatively thin and well supplied with capillary blood flow, such as upper chest, neck, inner arms and inner thigh areas.
It is strongly advised that you also use natural Progesterone creme whenever supplementing with testosterone for hormone balance. Men only need 1/8 tsp or less of progesterone.
______________________________________________________________________________________________________
Osteoporosis Information
All information compiled is strictly for educational purposes and neither Naturally Better or Radiant Laboratories is not responsible for this information. The FDA has not evaluated these statements. Products and/or statements are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent disease. Consult with a healthcare professional. Not recommended during pregnancy or lactation. No animal products or by products are used in the manufacturing. No animal testing.
To order click here:
For more information on our product line, please go to our homepage 
For orders please use our Secure order form on the website. If you have trouble placing your order call Carla at 888-660-8831
For questions about your order- Please call Carla at 217-662-8831 or call 888-660-8831. Please do not ask us to give medical advice or information about specific health issues. No one at Naturally Better is a health professional and we cannot advise on health issues or how to use the products for any health issue.
Office and Phone hours are 9 AM to 5 PM CST  (Calls are transferred to Carla's personal home line after hours and she will try to take your calls if you live in a different time zone.) Please.....no calls after 9 PM or before 9 AM CST.