Are Bioidentical Hormones Really Safer Than Standard HRT?

Bioidentical hormones are defined as custom-mixed formulas that contain a mixture of hormones taken from natural plant, or animal sources, and are chemically identical to the hormones made naturally by your body.  Some of these bioidentical hormone products are sold over-the-counter, and are being marketed to women as customized hormones to a woman's individual hormonal needs.  Before purchasing or being prescribed these bioidentical hormones however, your healthcare professional will usually use a saliva test to identify your individual hormonal needs.  Manufacturers of bioidentical hormones claim that bioidentical hormones are in fact safer than the standard, FDA-approved hormone therapy, which are commonly synthetic hormones.

According to the North American Menopause Society (NAMS), custom compounds may provide certain benefits, such as doses and mixtures of the hormones your healthcare professional determined that you need in particular, and are not available commercially. However, there also may be certain risks for those who use them.  These compounds have not been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and as a result have not been tested for purity, potency, efficacy or safety.  These products may even contain unknown contaminants. 

Bioidentical estrogen and progesterone are available in FDA-approved hormone therapy products, including:

• Estradiol, which is derived from soy or yam sources, such as Estrace, Climara patch and Vivelle-Dot patch
• Natural progesterone (Prometrium)

These bioidentical hormone products are available in many different doses and forms.  But the fact is, with more and more testing of these new individualized compounds, they are slowly becoming more and more popular.  This new way of administering hormones makes it so that there is no “one-dose-fits-all”.  You receive testing to determine which hormones your body has slowed production on, and which ones you need.  If it’s determined that you only need a small dose of estrogen, these new compounds allow that, rather than giving everyone the same dose.  This alone makes bioidentical hormones safer than synthetic hormones, as it reduces harmful side effects. 

 Megan Mathews, Research and Content, March 11, 2006

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