Bioidentical hormone replacement therapy (BHRT) refers to using hormones that have a chemical structure and biological action that is identical to the natural hormones produced by the human body. Using bioidentical hormones for hormone replacement therapy is more beneficial and effective than using synthetic hormones. This is because bioidentical hormones are recognized and utilized by the body in the same way as natural human hormones.

Bioidentical hormone replacement therapy is used for the same reasons as synthetic hormone replacement therapy. Bioidentical hormone replacement therapy is helpful for people who have hormonal imbalances, menstrual disorders, chronic medical conditions or other conditions for which hormone replacement therapy is medically indicated.

Bio-identical Hormones: The Facts

Bio-identical hormones have become a hot topic in the media, and are stimulating discussions in women’s groups and among healthcare professionals. Unfortunately, many commentaries erroneously report the drugs which were used in various studies, failing to differentiate manufactured products from compounded hormones.

It is the structure of the hormones, not the origin, that ultimately determines how it will be utilized and metabolized and the benefits and side effects that will be experienced by women who take them. Plant estrogens are bio-identical in structure to human hormones, conjugated estrogens secreted in the urine of pregnant mares are not bio-identical. A significant portion of the estrogen found in concentrated urine from dehydrated pregnant mares is equilin, an estrogen that is never produced naturally in humans and does not follow normal human metabolic pathways.

The basis for the use of bio-identical estrogens, progesterone, and androgens is physiologic. A similar analogy could be made with insulin. For many years, only pork and beef insulin were available to treat humans, but recombinant DNA technology now allows for mass production of insulin that is structurally identical to human insulin, and patients with diabetes have benefited tremendously.

In response to a prescription from a licensed practitioner, compounding pharmacists can prepare customized dosage forms containing the prescribed hormones in the precise dose for administration by the most appropriate route for a specific patient, using pharmaceutical grade chemicals with certificates of analysis to verify purity.

Until July 2002, hormone replacement therapy (HRT) was the standard for treating menopausal symptoms.

Following publications of WHI results, sales of all commercial hormone therapy products plummeted and hormone therapy exposure declined to 28% of women aged 50-74 years. The greatest reduction in hormone use was among the oral estrogen and oral estrogen/progestin preparations, and the market and demand for customized hormones has grown in the light of media attention.

Pharmaceutical manufactures alter the chemical structure of a natural substance to create a synthetic product that can be patented and profitable to produce; therefore, a drug company can afford to fund research to validate the efficacy of synthetic hormones. However, bio-identical hormones can not be patented, so scientific studies are less numerous because this type of research is typically funded by drug companies.

Medical evidence does indicate that therapeutic benefits and side effects vary based on whether a hormone is administered orally or transdermally, and that “bio-identical hormones” may offer therapeutic advantages over non-bio-identical synthetic hormones. The Postmenopausal Estrogen/Progestin Interventions (PEPI) trial confirmed that synthetic progestins such as medroxyprogesterone acetate (MPA) partially negate the beneficial effects on cholesterol levels that result from taking estrogen, while progesterone maintains the benefits of estrogen on lipid and cholesterol profiles and minimizes the side effects associated with MPA.

Hormone therapy should be individualized for symptomatic women. This involves tailoring the regimen and doses to individual needs.

The decision to use any form of HRT should only be made following a thorough medical examination and evaluation of baseline hormone levels, and women receiving HRT should be regularly monitored to allow practitioners to use the lowest dose of hormones that will provide therapeutic benefit, thereby minimizing the risk of side effects. We welcome your questions.

We also offer Saliva testing of hormones and free hormone consultation or medication reviews.