Uh, O!

Oprah if one goes to her website has a loophole and disclaimer under the contact/submit form- it states that Oprah can and will not pay for a story or words submitted to Harpo- it also states the information and dates of the words and submission can be changed, with out discussion. You submit to her and ABC you then lose the right to your experience, the experience, idea, plan, product is no longer kept confidential- the disclaimer states it can be shared and sold, without a right given to its author. And you wierd, old pathetic celebrity leeches out there watching T.V. and reading online. Her entourage of celebrity wealth, protects her-,actually she claims its an "aura"- when actually its business connections and Hollywood power players....health food and a really expensive clean lifestyle which she can afford.

And lets cite a quick example here- if Oprah were a mayor (MAYOR), and worked for the government- and the public wrote to her office, and under the contact form of her government offices submit contact form it stated, as it does under Oprah's contact form online right now as of this writing July 10, 2009, that Mayor Winfrey retains the right to your words, can sell them to companies, change your information and dates of submission- would the public trust her?

She'd be in prison. Spell that P-R-I-S-O-N. Prison.

Oprah is not a healer of the sick- she tries to ail others and profits from their well being. If Miss Winfry, truly cared for the ill- she would not persecute criminals- which who by her standards are truly the ill of the world. Never does she help criminals besides herself. People who molest others, or killers, rapists, homeboys turned to crime all are to be punished- their personal stories and history also are portrayed in a negaive light- and she goes on witch hunts for individuals she wants to use as an example,..all the while using a liberal consumer- their compassionate weakness and pyschology to make $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$. Money talks and so does Oprah- but Oprah speaks she is speaking for others- only one catch she takes money which could have gone to the originator and person with the experience whose words are no longer theirs.

I have an inbox full- just full of spam mail from Oprah's show which is sent to my account because she sold my information and so do millions of people. Oprah works in publishing, her staff's writers also work in the media.

This was written by MikeAlike ( a Tunrecore Recording Artist-album title "Model Male" by MikeAlike available @ Amazon MP3 and iTunes)

Bravo Newsweek! Doctors do their research and then some. They see hundreds of patients and cases of several years of study and practice. People do not understand that we can all make conclusions based on learning random things, but real scientific study is always needed before we go tell millions of people to follow our advice. I would be afraid to tell people on tv to follow something unless I knew I had concurrence from a medical community. Don't forget that Suzanne Somers is making money off of selling her products and books. I really hope Oprah will consider this article as she is so influential. I was disappointed with her show before this article came out and hope she can make some updates.

UHH. Doctors who haven't done their research are in no position to criticise someone who has, whether they've got a piece of paper hanging on their wall or not. Suzanne is right. Not only about this, but about many other health issues, particularly the effects of sugar and HFCS. That's the bottom line, and that's what's got the "bought and paid for" establishment and MSM all ticked off. Get off Oprah's back and stop trying to discredit Somers. It won't work. We aren't as dumb as you'd like us to be.

There are obviously inconclusive medical opinions on this subject. I find it unreasonable that Newsweek should make claims against a woman that uses her show as a platform to HELP viewers form their OWN opinions. If a person regards everything that is said on this(or any) show as "the gospel truth" than that is an issue of their own incompetency and not Oprah's responsibility.

I can honestly say, I will NOT be reading anything else from your publication or website again. This has got to be the most misguiding and SLANTED article I've ever read. How can anyone even compare synthetic hormones made from equine urine, of all things, which are literally killing hundreds of thousands of women with breast cancer and heart disease to something NATURAL like bio-identical hormones. Plain and simple, your body rejects the synthetic crap and accepts the natural. Hey Newsweek, get a clue and do your homework.

As a pharmacist who has studied bioidentical hormones for many years, I have numerous differences of opinion with the authors of this article, but I want to refute a few points that I find very misleading.

First the authors state that, "the bulk of scientific research on the subject suggests that prolonged use of these hormones is associated with an increased risk of serious health conditions including cancer and heart disease."
This is a very misleading statement. The data that demonstrates an increased risk of serious health conditions shows that the synthetic and equine derived hormones are the ones that have these serious health risks. No study has ever demonstrated these same long-term adverse effects with bioidentical hormones.

Second, the article quotes Dr. Nanette Santoro who states, "there is no medical reason to use progesterone after a hysterectomy," She goes on to say that supplementation with estrogen and progesterone could further increase the risk of a breast cancer occurance. Both of these points simply are not true. First of all, limiting progesterone supplemention only to women who have not had a hysterectomy is one of the greatest errors in all of women's medicine. Progesterone helps regulate sleep, mood, bone health, cardiovascular health, and ultimately balances the activity of circulating estrogens. Every study I have ever read shows that balancing estrogens with the proper dose of progesterone has no adverse effects on breast cancer rates and may even have benefitial effects. Maybe Dr. Santoro is thinking of the synthetic medroxyprogesterone, which certainly could increase breast cancer risk, but not knowing the difference between progesterone and medroxyprogesterone clearly challenges the implication of her as an expert in her field.

Finally, how is "bioidentical" a marketing term and not a scientific one? The term simply means that the hormones given are biologically, chemically, and structurally identical to human hormones. That seems pretty scientific to me. And how does the name imply a more natural therapy, unless natural means that we are giving human hormones? Premerin (conjugated equine estrogens) uses to say on their bottle, "derived from natural sources" even though those sources were horses. I doubt these authors were writing articles decrying the misleading marketing of a mass-produced pharmaceutical.

I am disappointed to see that Newsweek is publishing the same misleading information about hormone replacement that has been disseminated to women for years if not decades. It's no wonder women are looking to Oprah and Suzanne Summers for alternatives that make more sense to them.

Peter Koshland, Pharm.D

There is clearly a debate in regards to bioidentical hormones. Suzanne Somers is on one side of the debate, while Pat Wingert and Barbara Kantrowitz appear to be on the other side. The criticism of Ms Wingert and Ms Kantrowitz is that these hormones are being prescribed by people who have no training and are not experts. The studies that are being referred to that involve the dangers of hormone therapy utilize non-bioidentical hormones such as Premarin and Provera, which clearly cannot be compared to bioidentical hormones. There are many studies that do show how effective bioidentical hormones can be when used properly and through a physician. Click here to read more??? http://tinyurl.com/dctkx4

1) "Bioidentical hormones, used to treat osteoporosis, are defined by the endocrine society as compounds that have exactly the same chemical and molecular structure as hormones that are produced in the human body" This is in contrast to some of the hormones that big Pharma tries to sell us that are different - progestins instead of progesterone, for example. There is limited research on their side effects; most of the citations actually turn out to be based on assumptions that the BHRT and HRT have identical effects! I don't know about you, but I wouldn't assume that horse estrogen is the same as human estrogen, or that a chemically altered progestin is the same as progesterone. Thcitations I was able to find were about 1-3 cases (not statistically relevant, in other words), and did not differentiate between problems caused by bioidentical estrogen and problems caused by not properly balancing estrogen and progesterone, which is critical no matter what kinds of hormones one is using.

2) I can't speak to other effects of BHRT, but I have been using compounded transdermal bioidentical hormone creams to prevent migraines, as per the book "The Migraine Cure" by Dr. Sergei Dzugan (an MD, BTW). It has been working for me. I do keep up with my mammograms and pap smears, but after several years of use I haven't seen any problems arising, and I hope to continue that way.

I am not currently taking natural hormone therapy, but when the time is right I plan to. I feel that it's my right as a woman to make an informed decision and no one or company should be able to intefere with that. just because something is not accepted by the mainstream medical community(the mouthpieces of big drug companies) doesn't mean there's not a place for it. I don't dismiss Oprah's or Suzanne Somer's opinion just because they are tv personalities. I tend to be more suspicious of people who are trying to give the appearance of fair journalism when they are in cahoots with a major drug company. Don't get me wrong. I am a nurse and medications have there place.what are the prescription hormones supposed to offer that natural therapy can't? alot of the medications I see dispensed just treat the symptoms not the problem ie diabetic medication,cholesterol medication ect. I'm just saying if you don't believe in hormone therapy replacement then don't get it. it's that simple.

I didn't see the show and am just now reading about it and the word storm around it. If Suzanne Somers was presented as an expert rather than a rather intense lay person, that was certainly inappropriate. My mother studied homeopathics, but she did not present herself as an expert, just someone that was more informed about homeopathics. And this is the approach Oprah should probably have taken. What works for one person does not always work well for another. If you doubt that, just look at how many medications are available for allergies...Allegra or Claritin work well for me, but my brother responds better to the nose spray. Our body chemistries are different and our requirements for health are different. The food we ingest can be a medicine, too, and our bodies react/respond differently. It's just not a one size fits all when it comes to most things. My recommendation to anyone is to do your homework...my doctor's advice to me as well. That means maybe getting some testing done to see where your body is and to have frank conversations with your medical practioner. Take responsibility for your body now while you can and be informed. Don't take anybody's word for it unless it tests true for you...that includes Oprah. And by the way, I don't like some of the books she's recommended either, but I like her.

By the way, the very idea of taking hormones at concentrations high enough to restore your period in your 60's is so yuk! Why would anyone want to do that? Relief from hot flashes is one thing, but having your period forever? That's just nuts.

Thank you for this balanced article. I also saw the Oprah show on a rare afternoon when I was home from work, and was disturbed the level of misinformation presented. The known risks associated with HRT were minimized, and viewers were led to think that the "bioidentical hormones" promoted by Susan Somers and others were radically different and much safer than those prescribed by more mainstream MDs, when this is simply not the case. As your article points out, the hormones themselves may be chemically identical! I know that menopause is no fun, and was on HRT myself for a couple of years, using a low-dose combination of estrogen and progesterone prescribed by my physician. It was very effective at relieving hot flashes and other symptoms. However, I went off when the WHI study came out about the health risks of HRT. As part of the "weaning" process I participated in a clinical trial investigating the effects of herbal treatments on menopause symptome (the Group Health HALT study), and took black cohosh for a year (it didn't work; I was convinced I was in the placebo group). But the disturbing thing was that even in this relatively small study, they found evidence of increased heart problems, stroke, blood clots, etc. in the positive control group taking HRT. For this reason, the study was ended earlier than the researchers had originally planned. I think that short-term HRT can be a good alternative for women whose menopausal symptoms are really troubling, but they could be endangering their health by taking Suzanne Somers suggestions too much to heart.

Thank you for this balanced article. I also saw the Oprah show on a rare afternoon when I was home from work and was shocked and disturbed by the way this information was presented. The very real risks of long-term, high-dose hormone replacement were minimized, and viewers were led to think that "bio-identical" hormones were radically different and much safer than anything prescribed by a mainstream MD, when actually they are often chemical identical. I know that menopause is no fun, and was on HRT (a low dose combination of estrogen and progesterone prescribed by my physician) for a couple of years,and it was quite effective in eliminating hot flashes and related symptoms. However, I went off when the WHI study about the risks came out. As part of the "weaning" process I participated in a clinical trial of natural remedies for relief of menopausal symptoms Group Health HALT study, and took black cohosh for a year (It didn't work, by the way; I was sure I was in the placebo group). But the disturbing thing was that even in this study, researchers found evidence of increased rates of heart problems, stroke, blood clots, etc. in participants taking hormones, and so the study was ended sooner than they had originally planned. I think that short-term HRT can be a good thing for women whose menopausal symptoms are really troublesome, but I think Oprah really did her viewers a disserve with her enthusiastic presentation of Susanne Somers potentially dangerous regimen.

I have no problem with pharmaceutical companies. They are the reason my husband and millions of other heart patients are alive. They are the reason people survive cancer, diabetes, asthma, severe allergic reactions and other ailments. Please be judicious in your criticisms! That said, however, pharmaceutical companies and MD's who believe they know how the world should turn, have no right to deny thinking people the right to alternatives that don't include pharmaceuticals. I have been on bios for four years and have no regrets. I am doing what I think is best for me, not anyone else. I am not planning to sue anyone because of my decisions. I alone am responsible for what I do and any adverse or beneficial effects that result. Oprah is simply passing on information that would not be available otherwise. Give people credit for being able to make their own decisions. I don't need big brother telling me what I should or should not do regarding my health!!!!

I have no problem with pharmaceutical companies. They are the reason my husband and millions of other heart patients are alive. They are the reason people survive cancer, diabetes, asthma, severe allergic reactions and other ailments. Please be judicious in your criticisms! That said, however, pharmaceutical companies and MD's who believe they know how the world should turn, have no right to deny thinking people the right to alternatives that don't include pharmaceuticals. I have been on bios for four years and have no regrets. I am doing what I think is best for me, not anyone else. I am not planning to sue anyone because of my decisions. I alone am responsible for what I do and any adverse or beneficial effects that result. Oprah is simply passing on information that would not be available otherwise. Give people credit for being able to make their own decisions. I don't need big brother telling me what I should or should not do regarding my health!!!!

OMG, I don't know why this article infers that women who have so many effects from menopause are a minority! Are you kidding. I am a 50 year old woman who entered menopause 10 years ago . I have never met a woman 40 or over who only complained of hot flashes from menopause. We are dealing with depression, anxiety, aches, chest pain, weight gain, bloating, low libido and hot flashes! Maybe Newsweek should conduct a poll and seek the truth. I am certain they would find that most women suffer in silence. I for one, am tired of physicians pushing prescription drugs to cover up the symptoms of not only menopause but illness too. It's so sad that our physicians are taught to be reaactive instead of proactive.

Maybe the writers of this article and the physicians who were invited to Oprah, should have read Suzanne's entire book and challenged the "physicians" she interviewed in the book instead of going on the defense from the very beginning. Suzanne didn't pull this stuff out of her "as_", her information on hormone replacement comes from licensed physicians.

It's sad to hear that Newsweek is funded by pharmaceutical companies. I won't be renewing my subscription!

The authors have a conflict of interest because they have written a book about menopause that is pharmaceutically based. And Newsweek is heavily funded by pharmacy companies. You do the math...

The show was informational and the lady dr. got her time to spew her pharm influenced thinking. Doctors get FOUR hours of eduction on hormones. FOUR. It's the ones that have taken time to do the research that are shifting their thinking.

I love the South African doctor saying Somers will set us back 100 years. If only. Then the FDA approved hormones would not have killed so many women with breast cancer, heart disease, etc.

The FDA is a joke anyway. Why would we give them the last word? Mercury in corn syrup? Toxic fake sweeteners? Salmonella in peanut butter? They are a joke.

The medical industry is male dominated and profit driven. It's time for women to reclaim their inner knowledge and find doctors to partner with that listen to their concerns properly instead of sending them out the door in 8 minutes with a hastily written scrip.

REALITY CHECK: Premarin is made from pregnant mare horse urine. Ever wonder what they do with the babies (foals) of pregnant mares to produce such large quantities for us sweaty menopausal women? They send the babies to the most horrific, ghastly slaughter. Sometimes with their mares who can no longer get pregnant. Any woman who takes Premarin has the blood of babies (foals) and their horrible demise on her hands. These corrupt, greedy, lying pharm companies can't deny the truth. Go on the internet and check out horse slaughter. I'm 48 and the hot flashes and sweats come every hour and I'd gladly go through this discomfort (along with the other symptoms) ANY TIME! Ladies -- there are worse things in life than sweating!

Reality check: Premarin is made from pregnant mare urine. And what do they do with the babies (foals) of these pregnant mares? They send them (and sometimes the mares too) to a horrific, painful slaughter. Any woman who calls herself a woman would never take Premarin, EVER! The stress these pregnant mares suffer in horrible conditions is nothing less than cruel, nauseating abuse. Any woman who takes Premarin has the blood of babies (foals) on her hands. I'm 48, in menopause and I'll take the sweating and hot flashes any day! Good ridance to Premarin! Sorry pharm-corrupt-sleazoid-aceutical companies! You'll just have to find another way to satisfy your greed!