Bio Identical Hormone Therapy V HRT - Which Is Best?

I've written before about bio-identical hormones - which would be used instead of traditional HRT to help alleviate menopausal symptoms - and are considered a 'natural' alternative as they're plant based. That is, as opposed to being derived from the urine of horse's as is the case with traditional HRT.

However, a number of women have contacted me as they had never heard of bio identical hormones before and were keen to try it. I just wanted to make a couple of things clear.

Firstly, rather than jump into hormone therapy as the first treatment you try, make sure that you have a good diet and exercise routine in place. It's no good taking hormones to re-balance your body, when you aren't giving it enough vitamins and nutrients to function properly in the first place. Likewise with exercise, your body needs daily movement to keep it at it's peak and to perform at it's best. So once you know that you're giving it what it needs, if symptoms of menopause still persist, that's the time to seek advice as to what other therapies are available.

Secondly, all medications carry risks. And as tempting as it is to believe that plant extracts therapy is completely risk free, this may not always be the case.

While it is certainly true that the botanical hormones are absorbed by the body easier than the synthetic type (as in HRT), the decision to start on a course of treatment should not be taken lightly.

As many practitioners do not offer this alternative to the traditional hormone therapy - in fact many are not aware that it is available - it may be that you have to do your own research to find a medical professional who is able to advise you.

You should be tested initially and a questionnaire filled in so that an accurate diagnosis can be made. Diet, lifestyle, age etc., will be taken into consideration and a recommendation made as to whether the therapy is right for you and if it is, what hormones are needed. The best course is one that is made up for the individual patient as "one size fits all" therapy certainly is not true in the case of the menopausal women. Every woman has different requirements and the beauty of this treatment, is that it is tailored made to suit each person. This is one reason that bio-identical hormone therapy cannot be patented, because each formulation will vary, according to the individual.

The initial formulation may need tweaking and you will need to be re-tested to make sure that it is right for you. But if you do go down this route, you should notice a difference in your well being within a few weeks.