What Is Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy?

Since bioidentical products are more natural, pharmacies are promoting them as safer. However, both the FDA and the Endocrine Society consider the term more of a marketing term since it is not based on scientific evidence.

Fremont, CA: Since the mid-1980s, women have turned to hormone replacement therapy (HRT) as a way to alleviate the uncomfortable symptoms associated with menopause as a result of concerns regarding the potential side effects of HRT, BIOIDENTICAL HORMONAL REPLACEMENT THERAPY (BHRT) has gained popularity in recent years as an alternative.

Both BHRT and HRT have their own set of advantages and disadvantages. In consideration of bioidentical hormone replacement therapy for women rather than conventional HRT, your doctor will evaluate your overall health status and personal medical history.

Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy

The bioidentical hormones used in this therapy are derived from plants and are chemically or molecularly identical to the hormones made by a woman's ovaries during her reproductive years. It is derived from plant chemicals extracted from soya and yams, and these hormones are synthesized. Bioidentical hormones are an alternative hormone therapy available to women seeking a "natural" alternative.

Bioidentical hormone products are widely available on the market. There are products in some of these categories that have been approved by the FDA and are available on the market. It is not the responsibility of the FDA to regulate compounded preparations. Pharmaceutical companies sell bioidentical hormone products, as well as compounds formulated specifically for you by a compounding pharmacist based on the results of your hormone testing.

BRT VS HRT

Alternatively, traditional hormone therapy replaces estrogen and progesterone made by the ovaries, which women lose as they age and produce fewer hormones. A combination of estradiol, estriol, and estrone, this therapy relieves hot flashes, night sweats, and vaginal dryness associated with menopause.

Progesterone should be used as a counterbalance to estrogen in this case, as estrogen acts as fertilizer on the lining of the uterus. Consequently, women who are still carrying their uterus are prescribed both hormones when they undergo hormone replacement therapy. It is important to note that most BHRTs contain plant hormones that are similar to estriol, progesterone, dehydroepiandrosterone, and melatonin.

IS BIOIDENTICAL HORMONE REPLACEMENT THERAPY SAFE?

Since bioidentical products are more natural, pharmacies are promoting them as safer. However, both the FDA and the Endocrine Society consider the term more of a marketing term since it is not based on scientific evidence. In the same way that commercially manufactured hormones have their own set of side effects, bioidentical hormones are not necessarily "less dangerous" than traditional hormone replacement therapy.