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BHRT or Synthetic:
Which is right for you?
Take the quiz and find out!
What Are Synthetic Hormones?
Non-Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy (Non-BHRT), often referred to as traditional or synthetic hormone therapy, uses hormones that are not identical in molecular structure to those naturally produced by the human body. These hormones are typically manufactured in standardized doses and are FDA-approved. Common examples include:
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Premarin: Estrogen derived from pregnant mare’s urine.
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Provera (Medroxyprogesterone acetate): A synthetic form of progesterone.
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Combination Pills or Patches: Fixed-dose estrogen and progestin formulations.
While effective, these hormones may behave differently in the body compared to bioidentical hormones, potentially leading to varying side effect profiles.
Why would someone choose synthetic over BHRT
Cost and Insurance Coverage: Non-BHRT options are typically covered by insurance, making them more affordable.
Extensive Research: Non-BHRT therapies have been studied in large clinical trials, providing a well-established safety and efficacy profile.
Standardization: Fixed dosing and FDA approval ensure consistency and reliability.
Provider Familiarity: Many healthcare providers are more experienced with prescribing Non-BHRT, particularly in conventional medical settings.
What Are the Risks and Benefits of Synthetic
Benefits:
Proven efficacy for managing menopausal symptoms like hot flashes, night sweats, and bone loss.
Widely available and easy to prescribe.
Standardized dosing simplifies treatment.
Risks:
Potential for more side effects, such as nausea, bloating, or mood swings.
Increased risk of blood clots, stroke, and breast cancer, particularly with long-term use of certain formulations (e.g., oral estrogen combined with synthetic progestins).
Fixed dosing may not address individual variations in hormone needs.
Understanding BHRT and Synthetic Hormones (non-BHRT)
Choosing the Right Option for You
Bioidentical hormone replacement
Hormones play a crucial role in regulating your body, mind, and overall quality of life. When your hormone levels are imbalanced, you may experience symptoms such as fatigue, weight gain, mood swings, brain fog, and decreased libido. Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy (BHRT) offers a personalized approach to restoring balance and helping you feel like yourself again.
As a physician with over 20 years of experience, I understand the complexities of hormonal health. As a woman, I know the chaos an imbalance can create—far more than just the hallmark hot flashes. Hormonal changes can disrupt our daily lives, cloud our minds, and shake our very sense of self
-Heather Carone MD
Estrogen
Used to alleviate symptoms such as hot flashes, vaginal dryness, and mood swings. Available as creams, gels, patches, vaginal rings, injections, or subcutaneous pellets.
Progesterone
Balances the effects of estrogen and is essential for mood, sleep, and bone health. Available as capsules, creams, vaginal suppositories, or subcutaneous pellets.
Testosterone
mproves energy, libido, muscle strength, and cognitive function. Available as creams, gels, injections, or subcutaneous pellets.
DHEA
A precursor hormone that supports overall hormonal balance, available as oral capsules or creams.
Thyroid Hormones
Address hypothyroidism and improve energy, metabolism, and mood. Available as capsules or tablets.
Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy (BHRT)
Utilizes hormones that are chemically identical to those your body naturally produces
FDA approvAl
What does that mean?
• The FDA requires extensive, standardized clinical trials to approve medications, which can take years and cost millions of dollars. This process ensures consistency, safety, and efficacy for mass-produced drugs.
• Only standardized, mass-produced formulations can go through the FDA approval process.
Customized or individually tailored treatments, like compounded BHRT, don’t fit this model.
Synthetic hormones are widely used and accessible due to the structured pathways that benefit pharmaceutical companies and insurance systems. However, these pathways prioritize products that are profitable and easily standardized, which can leave innovative or individualized approaches like BHRT in a less favorable position.
• The FDA requires extensive, standardized clinical trials to approve medications, which can take years and cost millions of dollars. This process ensures consistency, safety, and efficacy for mass-produced drugs.
• Only standardized, mass-produced formulations can go through the FDA approval process. Customized or individually tailored treatments, like compounded BHRT, don’t fit this model.
• Bioidentical hormones used in BHRT are often compounded in specialized pharmacies to meet individual patient needs. Since these are custom-made and not mass-produced, they don’t go through the FDA’s approval process.
• Despite lacking FDA approval, reputable compounding pharmacies adhere to strict regulatory guidelines to ensure safety and quality.
Many therapies not FDA-approved have strong safety records when prescribed by trained professionals. For example, BHRT has been shown to be effective and well-tolerated for many patients, even without large-scale FDA-backed studies.
• Synthetic hormones are mass-produced and standardized, making them suitable for FDA trials.
They’re often chemically altered to be patentable, which incentivizes pharmaceutical companies to fund expensive clinical trials.
• The FDA requires extensive, standardized clinical trials to approve medications, which can take years and cost millions of dollars. This process ensures consistency, safety, and efficacy for mass-produced drugs.
• Only standardized, mass-produced formulations can go through the FDA approval process. Customized or individually tailored treatments, like compounded BHRT, don’t fit this model.
Synthetic hormones are widely used and accessible due to the structured pathways that benefit pharmaceutical companies and insurance systems. However, these pathways prioritize products that are profitable and easily standardized, which can leave innovative or individualized approaches like BHRT in a less favorable position.
This doesn’t mean synthetic hormones are inherently bad—many people benefit greatly from them—but it does highlight how the system often favors scalability and profit over individual customization. For patients who seek a more tailored approach, BHRT can be an excellent option, even if it requires more out-of-pocket investment.