Top 6 Questions About Bioidentical Hormone Therapy

Hormone imbalances can really handicap a person's lifestyle if not treated properly, but sometimes the treatment can be worse than the problem itself due to violent or even life threatening side effects of the medications prescribed.

This is the case of synthetic hormones, which have been proven to be very risky because of its alien to the body composition.   Bioidentical Hormone Therapy was developed as a natural alternative, matching the body's composition, for treating hormone imbalances, but it has caused controversy too.

As many patients research and ask about it, there are six questions that constantly arise and are key to understanding if Bioidentical Hormone Therapy is for you.

1.   What is Bioidentical Hormone Therapy?

Bioidentical means identical to biology, so, Bioidentical Hormone Therapy is a treatment consisting on the application of supplemental hormones that are chemically and molecularly identical to the hormones found in your body, to achieve proper balance.  

In this therapy, hormones are taken from natural sources like soy or wild yam plants or animals like pigs or horses and molecularly manipulated in a laboratory to exactly match yours, making them easier to assimilate and use by the body since it has the right enzymes to classify and metabolize them properly and efficiently thus, lessening side effects.

Bioidentical hormones are tailored to your body; ingredients are mixed in individual doses to meet your specific needs based on your symptoms and are adjusted until your hormones are completely balanced and symptoms disappear.  

2.   What is the difference between Bioidentical Hormone Therapy and Synthetic Hormone Therapy?   

The synthetic hormone therapy operates on the opposite principle of the Bioidentical Hormone Therapy and the hormones are different.

Synthetic hormones' molecular structure is completely different from the human one, in fact, these hormones are stronger than ours, making them unrecognizable for the body and more difficult to absorb, turning them into a risk source for violent side effects and even some types of cancer.  

The Bioidentical Hormone Therapy allows hormones to more efficiently interact with human tissues and other hormones in your body affecting positively its potency and elimination, thus, making them gentler on your system.

3.  Is Bioidentical Hormone Therapy safe?

Many studies have been performed to prove this therapy's safety, making it clear that it is much safer than synthetic hormone therapy.

Administered at the right dose, these hormones are very beneficial both short- term and long- term.   They have proven to lessen effectively all symptoms related to menopause disorders and also prevent conditions like osteoporosis, migraines, Alzheimer's, dementia and hair loss, among others.

However, Bioidentical Hormone Therapy is not for everyone.   Patients with a history of breast, uterine or ovarian cancer should avoid it, as well as people with gallbladder disease and cardiovascular conditions, as negative reactions may occur.    

Bioidentical hormones are not FDA approved because they are tailored to every individual patient's symptoms making them hard to be tested for purity, potency and effectiveness.   The FDA alerts about methods used by compound pharmacies in mixing the doses, since sometimes recklessness has been confirmed.

4. Why don't doctors recommend Bioidentical Hormone Therapy more often?

  Many doctors approve and recommend the use of bio identical hormones based on their own experiences with the therapy in comparison to experiences using synthetic hormones.   

However, a big number of doctors do not recommend it due to the fact that these hormones are not FDA approved and because of lack of knowledge about them.

Lack of clinical research has kept Bioidentical Hormone Therapy in a kind of bubble.   Bioidentical hormones are not patentable due to their natural sources.   This fact has made them of little financial interest for pharmaceutical companies which are the ones paying for the majority of clinical research.  

A pharmaceutical company is not willing to pay for an investigation from which it is not going to get a profit by selling a product and it can only do this with patented products.

 Drug companies promote and run medical conventions and conferences to promote their products, they offer doctors attractive gifts and these are normally the products doctors have information about and are educated in, making them the ones they prescribe to their patients.

Feel free to ask your doctor about Bioidentical Hormone Therapy, tell him what you know and feel and listen carefully to what he says about it.   Patented products are not bad, In fact, they can be very beneficial for the person, but, when someone is interested in a more natural way of living and thus, in a more natural way of medication, they have to make sure they research individually before taking anyone's word as the whole truth because there can be valuable facts and options that are overlooked due to misinformation or interests that are not related to your health.

In any case, Bioidentical Hormone Therapy is a specialized field, so, assure you are getting treatment from an expert, someone who after performing extensive testing to make sure you are a right candidate for the treatment, will prescribe only the necessary doses for your symptoms and keep close control during the treatment to make sure your hormones are completely balanced.

5.  Where do I buy Bioidentical Hormone Therapy medication?

Bioidentical hormones are sold by prescription only because they are mixtures.   They are manufactured by compound pharmacies.   These pharmacies are legal and approved, but not controlled, by the FDA.  

Doctors should confirm they are working with a professional establishment to confirm doses are clean, strong enough and effective in treating your symptoms.

6.  Is Bioidentical Hormone Therapy covered by insurance?

Some insurance will cover blood work but not consultation or procedure.   The costs will vary depending on your hormone levels and the amount of doses needed to balance them.

However, most companies are beginning to understand the benefits of bioidentical hormones over synthetic ones and are starting to cover them more thoroughly.   You will get coverage depending on your policy.



Contact Kenton Bruice, M.D. with your questions about bioidentical hormone therapy.