Bioidentical Hormone Therapy

What are bioidentical hormones?

The term began as a marketing term by custom-compounded pharmacies referring to compounds that have the same chemical and molecular structure as hormones that are produced in the body. So the term literally means an estrogen identical in chemical and molecular structure to the estrogen made by ovaries called estradiol.

Custom-compounded Bioidentical Hormones

Bioidentical hormones do not have to be custom-compounded. There are bioidentical hormones that are FDA approved, which means they have been rigorously studied and tested for their safety and efficacy. These bioidentical hormones are commercially available from retail pharmacies. There are also bioidentical hormones that are being formulated in compounding pharmacies following an individual prescriber’s order for a specific patient. These medications are individually mixed and have not been tested to prove that the active ingredients are absorbed properly or provide predictable levels in blood or tissue. Since these custom-compounded bioidentical hormones do not undergo any safety testing, it is best to avoid them.

Salivary and blood tests used to assess hormone levels are meaningless, because there is no association with these levels and what is going on at the level of the tissue. The best way to know if your hormone therapy regimen is working is to see how you feel after 3 months of use. Then adjustments can be made as necessary.z

Click this link to check out FDA questions and answers on Compounded Menopausal Hormone Therapy and to learn about FDA support for traditional compounding.

Tara Allmen, MD Credentials:
– Board Certified Gynecologist and Nationally Certified Menopause Practitioner
– New York City’s Leading Expert In Menopause
– President, North American Menopause Society Foundation
– Fellow of the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology
– New York City’s Top Gynecologist, 2015
– Five Star Rating From Doctor’s Choice Awards
– Five Star Rating From HealthGrades