Bioidentical and Synthetic Hormones - Why is it Important For Us to Learn About Them?

Bioidentical hormones are often a controversial and confusing topic. There has been a lot of research and discussion about it recently and many women are still feeling as if they are in the dark. Many times traditional physicians or medical professionals will not fully explain treatment with hormones and will not discuss the difference between the commonly prescribed synthetic hormones and the more natural bioidentical hormones. Physicians have been prescribing synthetic hormones to women since 1942 and even though there have been problems associated with synthetic hormones, it is slow to change the minds of many physicians. In medical school they learn that this is the correct treatment of choice and pharmaceutical companies promote the prescribing of synthetic hormones because it is a money making venture for them, the drug companies also are able to influence the FDA due to their power. Most medical doctors are taught in medical school that synthetic hormones are the only trusted hormones to prescribe. When brought to discussion with physicians I know, they are skeptical and dismiss bioidentical hormone replacement, saying it is like taking a placebo and not useful, not the traditional way to treat women needing hormone replacement. But more recently, in the last 10 years, more women have been questioning the use of synthetic hormones and weighing the benefits and risks of taking synthetic versus bioidentical hormones.
 
What do hormones do for women anyway? Hormone therapy replaces hormones that we are lacking in our bodies. Restoring the hormone we are lacking stops the deterioration of cells in our body. Without replacing hormones that we have lost, we then develop other conditions that could decrease our longevity, our outlook on life, and our ability to be content and well.
 
Synthetic hormones such as Premarin, Prempro and Provera are not made from natural products and the structure of these drugs is different than what our bodies naturally make. Premarin is made from a pregnant horse's urine. On the other hand, bioidentical hormones are biologically identical to the hormones we have in our body and are made from soy, plant, yam and natural products. They are made to be exactly like what nature originally gave us.
 
Let us take a look at the three main hormones we are talking about;
 
1. Estrogen
2. Progesterone
3. Testosterone
 
1. Estrogen is primarily a woman's hormone and is produced in the ovaries. Women have increased estrogen and decreased testosterone, whereas men have decreased estrogen and increased testosterone. As women approach mid-life our estrogen levels start changing. They may surge at some point but in menopause they decrease. If we do not have the right amounts of estrogen in our bodies we could experience things such as weight gain, bloating, itching, sweats, hot flashes, depression, fatigue and decreased libido.
 
2. Progesterone is primarily a woman's hormone made in the ovaries and adrenal glands. Males have a small amount of Progesterone. If we do not have the correct amount of Progesterone we can experience sleep disturbances, irritability, anxiety, weight gain, breast swelling and tenderness, itching, bloating, memory loss and loss of libido. But if we have the right balance of progesterone and estrogen then there are many good effects such as stronger bones, maintenance of a healthy brain, more fat metabolism and we are protected more against cancer.
 
When estrogen is balanced with progesterone it helps to maintain a healthy uterus, protects against breast cancer and post partum depression.
 
3. Testosterone is present in women in small amounts compared to estrogen. It is produced in the ovaries. It increases clitoral and nipple sensitivity, increases libido, increases the quality of orgasm and increases muscle strength and bone density. With the correct and sufficient amount of testosterone in our bodies it can decrease the inflammation (which helps in preventing heart disease), we have increased energy, a lower LDL cholesterol (the bad cholesterol), and increased HDL (the good cholesterol), increased muscle strength, increased brain function and decreased body fat.  If our testosterone level is not at the right amount we can experience fatigue, a feeling of imbalance, memory loss, abdominal fat, weight gain and our risk of breast cancer could be increased. 
 
An important point to keep in mind is that hormones need to be replaced in ratios to the other hormones and every woman is different with varying amounts needed. This is another reason bioidentical hormones are being used and chosen more frequently over synthetic hormones.
 
Make sure you have discussions with your physician about the use of hormones. You also should have blood and or saliva hormonal testing done at some routine intervals starting usually at about age 35. Sometimes the effects of lack of hormones can creep up and women do not know what is causing them to feel the way that they do. Hormones keep our cells and organs in our body working efficiently and that is why it is important to be taking the right prescription. Do your research, get your facts and see what you think about taking hormone replacement and if it can benefit you. If you choose to, decide whether it should be synthetic or bioidentical, and work with your medical professional to make the right choice for you and with you.