Biodentical Hormones
Biodentical Hormones are Estrone (E1), Estradiol (E2), Estriol (E3), Progesterone and Testosterone. Biodentical Hormones have the same exact molecular structure as those made in the human body. The molecules are derived from plants, soy and yam. Synthetic or conventional “HRT” are not identical in structure or functions to the Biodentical hormones they were made to emulate. Synthetic hormones, such as Premarin, say, “In their naturally occurring conjugated form.” Natural, when talking about medications, has different meanings to different people.
What exactly is meant by natural?
Sources found in nature either plant or animal. Plant sources are called phytoestrogens, and can be found in soy or yam. Manufactured natural products such as Premarin are from pregnant horses’ urine.
When saying natural to the human body, the term Biodentical hormones is used. The goals of using Biodentical hormones, is to alleviate the symptoms caused by the natural decrease in production of hormones by the body.
Information has been distributed recently to medical professionals about the history and intricacies of biodentical hormone therapy (bhrt), commercial products that have been and are currently available and pharmaceutical compounding initiated by physicians and patients. Much of this information is inaccurate. It appears to be aimed at discrediting physicians and pharmacists who are dedicated to working together to individualize patient care through pharmaceutical compounding. Consider the following facts when evaluating this information for yourself:
1) The active ingredients of biodentical hormone occur naturally in the body, are approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and in many cases are commercially available- although not necessarily in the dosage forms, strengths, or specific combinations needed by patients. This is why they must be compounded.
2) These hormones have been studied extensively in clinical trials.
3) These hormones are natural to the human body and are identical to what the body has produced and continues to produce (but not in sufficient quantities as the body ages)
4) These hormones all have individual official monographs in the current United States Pharmacopeia (Estradiol USP; Estriol USP; Estrone USP; Progesterone USP; Testosterone USP).
The vast majority of compounding for Biodentical Hormone therapy involves estradiol, estriol, estrone, progesterone, and/or testosterone. All of these have been used in commercially available, manufactured products over the years, still are available, and, as such, undergo clinical trials prior to approval. (Estrone may not be commercially available now but has been in the past.)
Compounding pharmacists are meeting the needs of perimenopausal and menopausal women through the use of plant derived BIODENTICAL HORMONES. No two women are alike, of course, and the value of biodentical hormone therapy is that it can be adapted to fit your individual body and hormone levels. In fact, biodentical hormones can be made in a variety of strengths and dosage forms including capsules, topical creams and gels, suppositories and sublingual troches or lozenges.
