Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy

Bioidentical hormone replacement therapy (BHRT) is an alternative to conventional hormone replacement therapy in the management of menopausal symptoms. BHRT uses hormones that are identical to human hormones and has become popular largely in part due to Suzanne Somers book, "Ageless." The hormones used in BHRT are not regulated by the FDA and are available over the counter.

Facts

• Bioidentical hormones are not new. In fact, they have been available for 20 years. It wasn't until the Women's Health Initiative spotlighted the dangers of conventional hormone replacement therapy that women began to look for an alternative. Bioidentical hormones are derived from sources found in nature. The hormones are identical to those found in the human body. Synthetic hormones, by contrast, are only similar to naturally produced hormones. The main hormones used in BHRT are progesterone and estrogen.

  According to a report in the New York Times, a third of women being treated for menopausal symptoms are using bioidentical hormones rather than conventional hormone replacement therapy. Millions of women use bioidentical hormones.

Benefits

• During peri-menopause and menopause, dropping hormone levels cause symptoms that many women find uncomfortable and sometimes intolerable. Symptoms can include hot flashes, mood swings, changes in hair and skin and fatigue. BHRT has been shown to be effective in treating and alleviating these symptoms. Hormone replacement therapies, both bioidentical and conventional, work by restoring hormone levels. Whereas conventional hormone therapy is usually a "one size fits all" treatment, BHRT can be tailored for each individual woman, minimizing any side effects.

Types

• The hormones used in BHRT are usually derived from either soy or Mexican wild yams. Diosgenin is extracted from the plants and converted into progesterone and estrogen, in a molecularly identical form of human hormones. In conventional hormone replacement therapy, the estrogen is derived from the urine of pregnant horses and is not identical to human estrogen. Progestin, used in conventional therapy, also has a different molecular structure than the human hormone progesterone. To determine which hormones a woman needs, and at what levels, a doctor will perform either a saliva test or a blood test.

Forms

• Hormones used in BHRT are applied topically in the form of creams or lotions. Hormones used topically on the skin remain bioidentical. Conventional hormone therapy uses some bioidentical hormones in pill form, but hormones taken orally--even bioidenticals--will convert to a non-bioidentical form after being processed by the liver. The creams and lotions used in BHRT can be compounded by pharmacists to offer a customized approach to hormone replacement.

Warning

• Hormone replacement therapy, whether bioidentical or conventional, should only be done under the supervision of a doctor.