Are Bioidentical Hormones Right For You?

It is a fact that all women will reach a point in their life when they will go through menopause. It is something every woman can expect, but the way it is experienced can be different for everyone. While some women go through a less uncomfortable period, there are others who need help for relief from their symptoms. Difficult symptoms include night sweats, dizziness, headaches, bloating, fatigue, mood swings, insomnia and a range of other discomforts that can affect an individual's quality of life.

For those experiencing any of the symptoms mentioned above, there is a solution. Because menopause is caused by the imbalance of hormones which change as the body grows with age, the treatment is to return the balance. In the past, hormone replacement therapy, which refers to the use of commercial drugs made with synthetic hormones, was used but with more research and innovative solutions, hormone therapy became an alternative. Bioidentical hormone therapy is often called "natural hormone therapy" because it acts in the body just like the hormones we produce. But here again, that tricky word natural muddies the waters. Pregnant mares' urine is natural, but Premarin is not bioidentical, at least not to human estrogen. The same goes for Cenestin, which is made from plants but is not bioidentical. With biodentical hormone replacement, the dosage is made matching the very make-up of a patient and prepared in doses specifically for her. Since the bioidentical hormones are identical in molecular structure to a patient's own hormones, her body responds better and can relieve discomfort.

Technically, the body can't distinguish bioidentical hormones from the ones your ovaries produce. On a blood test, your total estradiol reflects the bioidentical estradiol you've taken as well as the estradiol your body makes. On the other hand, Premarin is metabolized into various forms of estrogen that aren't measured by standard laboratory tests. Proponents of the hormones say that one advantage of bioidentical estrogen over Premarin is that estrogen levels can be monitored more precisely and treatment individualized accordingly. Skeptics counter that it hardly matters, because no one knows exactly what hormone levels to aim for, and symptoms, not levels, should be treated and monitored.

If you are suffering from a difficult menopausal stage, bioidentical hormone therapy can be a treatment option for you. A doctor that practices, and is educated in, hormone replacement therapy can help determine if this is the best option. Also, these bioidentical hormone products are specifically tailored for every patient and may not be readily available in conventional pharmacies; therefore they require a doctor's referral for it to be made at a compounding pharmacy for you. Today there are many compounding pharmacies available for this service but you can be more confident with one that is PCAB-accredited. That means your hormones are made with the highest standards.

Find out more about bioidentical hormones from a reliable compounding pharmacy. Get the right treatment to get your life back.