What are the risks of bioidentical hormones?

Common side effects may include weight gain, vision issues, sleepiness, acne, increase facial hair growth, headache, breast tenderness, spotting, or cramping, among others.

Bioidentical Hormones Near Me - Fair Oaks Women's Center

November 23, 2020 Bioidentical Hormones, Blog, Testosterone 0

You have likely heard the term bioidentical hormone or “natural” hormone. What does this mean?

Are these hormones better than the hormones traditionally used in hormone therapy? Let’s find out.

Bioidentical

The term bioidentical hormone means that it is produced to be chemically identical to those your body produces. Several hormone therapy products that are FDA approved and prescribed by doctors contain bioidentical hormones.

The term “natural” means that it is not synthesized in a lab. These hormones are products of plant or animal sources. However, many of these hormones still need to be commercially processed to become bioidentical. Many people who want a more holistic approach to gynecology find these preferable.

Traditional hormone therapy doesn’t necessarily exclude natural hormones. Some FDA approved products like Estrace, Alora, and others are derived from plants. So, what is the advantage of bioidentical hormones over traditional hormone therapy?

Different Doses and Forms

Bioidentical hormones are produces in doses and forms that are different from those in traditional FDA approved products. Most go through a compounding pharmacy that specializes in producing medications that are customized for your individual needs.

The downside to this is that most products from these compounding pharmacies haven’t undergone the same quality assurance standards that commercial hormone preparers have to meet.

Customized

Bioidentical hormones are custom-made just for you. A doctor will take a sample of your saliva. This is used to assess your unique hormonal needs.

Then, your bioidentical hormones can be created for you. However, since the hormone levels in saliva don’t reflect the levels in your blood, or correspond to menopause symptoms, bioidentical hormones may not be right for you.

Bioidentical Hormones Near MeWhile some women benefit from traditional hormone therapy, others will benefit greatly from a nonstandard dose or form of bioidentical hormones. If you would like to learn more about this, please contact Dr. Singh today!