What hormones will I need and how do I take them?
Bio-identical hormones are available in creams, ointments, sub-lingual drops, vaginal suppositories, pills, and injections. So you have a lot of options on how you can take them.
As to what hormones you will need, this will depend on the individual. Your hormone needs are as unique as your fingerprints. A one size fits all approach is not appropriate in hormone therapy. Therapy will be specifiic to your hormone deficiency.
We use salivary testing from DiagnosTechs Laboratory to determine what hormones you need. Over 300 studies have been published validating the accuracy of hormone salivary testing.
Once we’ve determined what hormones you need, bio-identical hormone therapy draws upon 6 type of hormones:
- Estrogens
- Progesterone
- Testosterone
- DHEA
- Cortisol
- Thyroid
You can read more about the different types of hormones in my post “Menopause and Hormones 101.”
What are bioidentical hormones?
One of the most frequent questions we here is: “Hey! What is the difference between bioidentical hormones and synthetic hormones like premarin, prempro, premphase, and provera?”
I’m glad you asked! Synthetic hormones include conjugated equine (that’s horse in English) estrogens and progestins. (My wife is not a horse, and I’m pretty sure you aren’t either!)
The key difference between bioidentical and synthetic hormones is molecular structure. In an effort to fully replicate the function of the hormones produced by your body and to minimize the side effects, the molecular structure of the hormones must be identical to those produced in your body.
Synthetic hormones are similar but not identical. These structural differences lead to metabolism by-products that increase the frequency and intensity of unwanted side effects.
Bioidentical hormones are structurally and chemically identical to the hormones your body produces.
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You may have heard that there are not many studies about bioidentical hormones. Certainly, there have not been as many studies of bioidentical hormones as synthetic hormones. But, here’s why.
Pharmaceutical companies fund research for synthetic hormones through profitable patents and mass production. Bioidentical hormones cannot be patented, and thus there are limited funds for research. There are some European studies of bioidentical hormones, but they are small in number and limited in scope.
Related articles by Zemanta and Seasons
- Bioidentical hormones: What does the scientific evidence say?
- The Bioidentical Hormone Debate (www.postgradmed.com)
- Abstract: Are Bioidentical Hormones (Estradiol, Estriol, and Progesterone) Safer or More Efficacious than Commonly Used Synthetic Versions in Hormone Replacement Therapy? (holtorfmed.com)
- Study: Hormone therapy caused breast cancer for thousands (cnn.com)
