What are Bioidentical Hormones?

Bioidentical hormone replacement therapy, or BHRT, is the safest and most effective form of hormone replacement therapy available.

Bioidentical hormones have the exact same chemical, physical, and molecular properties as the hormones naturally produced by your body.

Bioidentical hormones are made from natural plant sources by compound pharmacies. They are not manufactured in pharmaceutical labs like synthetic hormones. Many hormone therapy products approved by the FDA and prescribed by doctors or other healthcare providers contain bioidentical hormones.

Because they are derived from natural sources and are identical to the hormones produced by your body, bioidentical hormone therapy (BHRT) has several advantages over traditional hormone therapy.

Components of Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy

There are a few manufactured brands of bioidentical hormones that are approved for use by the FDA. However, most bioidentical hormones are custom-made by compounding pharmacists. Compounding typically involves ingredients being combined or altered to meet the needs of an individual.

The hormones used for BHRT are made from all-natural plant sources. The hormones used in traditional hormone replacement therapy are manufactured in pharmaceutical labs. Synthetic hormones are intentionally "designed" by the pharmaceutical companies to be different than those produced by your body so that they can be patented for profits.

On the other hand, bioidentical hormones exactly replicate – molecule for molecule – the hormones that are made by your own body. That means your body cannot distinguish any bioidentical hormones introduced to your bloodstream from the hormones naturally secreted by your body. It reacts to them exactly the same way!

This practically eliminates any possible side effects that normally can occur with synthetic hormones.

Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy

Bioidentical hormone replacement therapy is used to treat men and women who are experiencing age-related hormone decline. If you are between the ages of 35-60, look for these signs and symptoms that your hormones levels are low or out of balance:

• Weakness and fatigue
• Depression and mood swings
• Weight gain
• Loss of muscle tone
• Insomnia and/or disturbed sleep patterns
• Night sweats (women)
• Hot flashes (women)
• Erectile Dysfunction (men)

When seeking the best doctor for BHRT, it is best that you seek your treatments from a doctor who specializes in bioidentical hormone replacement therapy.

Such practitioners will be able to look at your overall health and wellness and prescribe BHRT custom compounded for your unique body and lifestyle. Furthermore, doctors who specialize in age-related hormone imbalances will also be able to recommend additional therapies along with BHRT in order to help you look and feel your best at any age! 

Bioidentical hormones have the exact same chemical and physical properties as the hormones naturally produced by your body.

Who Needs Bioidentical Hormones?

BHRT can be used to treat men and women when their hormone levels drop or become unbalanced. It’s most frequently used to ease symptoms of perimenopause and menopause in women. However, men who need hormone replacement due to age-related hormone decline can also benefit from BHRT.

Bioidentical hormone therapy can only be obtained with a doctor’s prescription. You may need a prescription for bioidentical progesterone, estrogen, testosterone, thyroid hormones, growth hormone, or any combination thereof.

What are the Benefits of BHRT

Both men and women can benefit from BHRT.

Men lose critical hormones as they age, primarily testosterone and human growth hormone. Age-related hormone loss in men is known as andropause. BHRT can be used to make you look and feel younger. For men between the ages of 40 and 65, BHRT has been shown to help you lose weight and build lean muscle. BHRT for men also improves mood and sharpens cognitive skills. Perhaps most importantly, BHRT for men can even improve your sex life by increasing libido and sexual performance.

Women approaching or entering menopause have long known about the benefits of hormone replacement. Aging women in need of HRT, in particular, should consider BHRT.

BHRT for women is the safest and most effective form of hormone replacement for the treatment of menopausal symptoms, including:

• Hot flashes
• Night sweats
• Mood changes
• Memory loss
• Weight gain
• Sleep issues
• Loss of interest in sex or pain during sex

There is also evidence that BHRT for women helps to improve skin health, thickens hair, and may even help to reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.

Are There any Side Effects or Risks of BHRT

Like their synthetic counterparts, bioidentical hormones are generally regarded as safe. However, they do have many of the same potential risks and side effects of conventional hormones. But studies suggest that the risk of such side effects are less with the use of bioidentical hormones. The potential risks or side effects of BHRT include:

• acne
• bloating
• weight gain
• fatigue
• mood swings
• increased facial hair in women

Again our doctors believe that there are far fewer risks associated with the use of bioidentical hormones. The majority of our patients go through their course of BHRT with few if any side effects and any issues they encounter can usually be corrected by simply adjusting the dose or formulation of their BHRT.

Bioidentical Hormones Versus Synthetic Hormones

Our doctors prefer to prescribe custom-compounded bioidentical hormones rather than synthetic hormones because they are exact duplicates molecular-for-molecule of the hormones they are used to replace.

The synthetic hormones that are made by the big pharmaceutical companies are not the same as the hormones produced by your body. In fact, they are specifically designed to be unique so that drug companies can patent them for bigger profits.

Since bioidentical hormones are exact replicas of your own hormones, they are better recognized and better absorbed by your body. Bioidentical hormones are the safest and most effective type of hormone replacement therapy available.

Bioidentical hormones are given in several ways. In addition to injections, creams, patches, pills, gels, and pellets are among the ways BHRT can be prescribed. Your doctor will determine which delivery method is best for you based on your particular needs and lifestyle.

As compared to their synthetic counterparts, bioidentical hormones have been found:

• To be more effective
• To be safer and better tolerated
• To produce greater health benefits and positive effects
• To reduce the risk of cancer or heart disease

As opposed to the hormones created from plant sources, synthetic hormones are made from animal sources that your body sees as "hostile invaders." Your body does not recognize them and may treat them as toxins, which at best lowers their effectiveness, and at worst, may trigger severe side-effects such as heart attacks, stroke, or cancer.

For the most part, custom bioidentical hormone combinations include blends of the same ingredients found in FDA-approved bioidentical hormones. However, since they are custom-made for your particular symptoms and goals, they are usually the preferred option to standard synthetic hormones.

BHRT is the safest and most effective form of hormone replacement there is.

Now that you understand the differences between bioidentical hormones and synthetic hormones, why not contact us today and learn more about the safety and efficacy of hormone replacement therapy.