2winsmom

This is what the Atkins website has to say about it:

The use of hormones can impede weight loss, but there are ways to minimize its impact.

Of the numerous prescription drugs that are frequently found to slow or prevent weight loss, estrogens and most synthetic hormone replacement therapies (HRTs), including birth control pills, are among the most commonly prescribed. (See Antidepressants and Metabolic Resistance, The Role of Insulin in Metabolic Resistance, Anti-Arthritis Medications and Metabolic Resistance and High Blood Pressure Medications and Metabolic Resistance to learn about the weight-loss-inhibiting effects of antidepressants, insulin, anti-arthritis drugs and diuretics.)

The Drug Approach
If you are on HRT or birth-control pills, think about whether your weight gain coincides with the period when you've been taking these powerful drugs. In all likelihood, the doctor who prescribed hormones did not warn you it might cause weight gain. Many standard hormones also increase blood-sugar imbalances, causing cravings and the inability to control intake of carbohydrate foods.

Lowering the Dosage
The objective, once you learn that HRT has been inhibiting weight loss, is to find the lowest dose of HRT that keeps menopausal symptoms under control. Your doctor will have to work with you to achieve this goal. The first consideration is to optimize the balance between progesterone and estrogen. The majority of women with menopausal symptoms (even those who are not on HRT—and certainly those who are) have a significant dominance of estrogen over progesterone, and estrogen is a fat-producing hormone. Also be aware that the progesterone usually prescribed (Provera) is a synthetic version, which also tends to promote obesity. Natural progesterone, which does not lead to weight gain, should be prescribed, and frequently can stand alone, without estrogen, in relieving menopausal symptoms.

The Vitanutrient Approach
Among the vitanutrients that have proven invaluable to ease the symptoms of estrogen withdrawal to menopausal women is the B vitamin folic acid, but it does require prescription dosages of 20 mg or more. Folic acid can enable you to lower estrogen dosage without bringing on any symptoms that indicate estrogen deficiency.

Another useful nutrient to allow reduction in HRT dosages is the mineral boron, which serves as a building block for the liver to manufacture natural estrogens. Boron, which is valuable for preventing and reversing osteoporosis, is usually recommended to be taken daily in the range 6 mg to 18 mg dosages. You will get additional benefits by bringing the normal precursors of the sex hormones, such as DHEA and pregnenolone, to the levels considered normal for a 30-year-old woman.

Once the above nutrients and natural hormones are provided, you should be able to reduce HRT dosages significantly. Women who are taking estrogen and progesterone for birth control need to consider the advantages of this form of birth control over other forms that do not impact on their weight.


Hope that helps! Good luck!

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Atkins since 12/10/02 -- down 40lbs!!

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Atkins since 12/10/02 -- down 40lbs!!