“The use of compounded bioidentical hormone
replacement therapies is not recommended
given the issues related to their purity, potency and safety”.1
Umbrella
What may the Bioidentical Hormones Umbrella include?
Depending on the Source (DotS) this Umbrella may include:
- Bioequivalent Hormone Therapy
- Bioidentical Hormone Medications
- Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy (BHRT)
- Bioidentical Hormone Therapy (BHT)
- Bioidentical Hormones
- Bioidenticals
- Custom-Compounded Bioidentical Hormone Therapy (C-CHT)
- Custom-Made Bioidentical Hormones
- Custom-Mixed Bioidentical Hormones
- Hormone Therapy Alternatives
- Natural Hormone Therapies
- Pharmacy Compounded Hormones
- ‘Compounded’ Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy (cBHRT)
- ‘Regulated’ Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy (rBHRT)
Bioidentical Hormones
What are bioidentical hormones?
DotS the definition of bioidentical hormones may vary. On page one in Menopausal Hormone Therapy the European Menopause and Andropause Society’s definition is:
Bioidentical Hormone Therapy
What is bioidentical hormone therapy?
DotS the definition of bioidentical hormone therapy may vary. In Bioidentical Hormones: Are They Safer? Are bioidentical or natural hormones safer and more effective than hormones used in traditional hormone therapy for menopause symptoms? the (United States) Mayo Clinic author’s definition is:
On page 771 in The 2022 Hormone Therapy Position Statement of The North American Menopause Society, published July 2022, and endorsed by multiply organizations, the North American Menopause Society (NAMS) AMS explain:
cBHRT
What is cBHRT (Compounded Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy)?
DotS the definition of cBHRT may vary. In Bioidentical HRT: Summary of Key Terminologies the British Menopause Society’s (BMS) definition is:
rBHRT
What is rBHRT (Regulated Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy)?
DotS the definition of rBHRT may vary. In Bioidentical HRT: Summary of Key Terminologies the BMS’s definition is:
What is MHRA?
In this context MHRA can be an abbreviation for the (United Kingdom) Medicines & Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency.
Approved or Not
Are compounded bioidentical hormones approved by individual Country Drug Regulatory bodies for example the FDA?
In Compounding and the FDA: Questions and Answers – Are Compounded Drugs Approved By FDA? the (United States) Food and Drug Administration (FDA) elaborate on:
Natural or Not
Are bioidentical hormones natural?
In Bioidentical Hormones: Are They Safer? Are bioidentical or natural hormones safer and more effective than hormones used in traditional hormone therapy for menopause symptoms? the Mayo Clinic author explains:
In Menopause Management Options: Pharmacy-Compounded Hormones (Bioidentical Hormones) the (Australian) Jean Hailes for Women’s Health (JH) note:
Pharmacy-compounded preparations can contain oestrogens, progesterone and sometimes other hormones such as testosterone. The preparations are made into capsules, creams, gels, drops (applied to the tongue), lozenges or troches (soft square-shaped tablets) that are sucked inside the cheek.
All hormone therapies are manufactured synthetically. Hormones are only natural when they are in the human body”.9
Safe or Not
Are bioidentical hormones safe?
In Bioidentical Hormones: Risks and Benefits – What Are the Risks of Bioidentical Hormones?, published 15 May 2022, the (United States) Cleveland Clinic elaborate on:
On page 771 in The 2022 Hormone Therapy Position Statement of The North American Menopause Society, published July 2022, and endorsed by multiply organizations, the NAMS explain:
Hormone Testing or Not
Is serum, saliva or urine hormone testing necessary to prescribe bioidentical hormones?
On page 771 in The 2022 Hormone Therapy Position Statement of The North American Menopause Society, published July 2022, and endorsed by multiply organizations, the NAMS note:
Recommended or Not
Do menopause societies and other organizations, recommend the use of bioidentical hormones?
On page four in the International Menopause Society’s Leaflet for Women for World Menopause Day on 18 October Menopause and Menopause Hormone Therapy: 2. What Is MHT?, the International Menopause Society note:
In Menopause Management Options: Pharmacy-Compounded Hormones (Bioidentical Hormones), last updated 20 September 2024, the JH note:
In Bioidentical HRT: Summary of Key Terminologies, reviewed March 2024, the BMS include:
- “cBHRT products are not recommended by the BMS they are not evidence based for effectiveness and safety and because rBHRT options are available”.15
In The 2023 Practitioner’s Toolkit for Managing Menopause: Management – Considerations for All Women At Menopause: Menopausal Hormone Therapy, published online 30 October 2023, the authors also note:
- “The prescription of individually formulated and compounded hormone preparations is not recommended”.16
In Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT): Alternatives To Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) – Herbal Remedies and Complementary Medicines for Menopause Symptoms: Bioidentical or “Natural” Hormones, last reviewed 07 February 2023, the (United Kingdom) NHS explain:
Some people claim that these hormones are a “natural” and safer alternative to standard HRT medicines.
However, bioidentical hormones are not recommended because:
- They’re not regulated and it’s not clear how safe they are – there’s no good evidence to suggest they’re safer than standard HRT
- It’s not known how effective they are in reducing menopause symptoms
- The balance of hormones used in bioidentical preparations is usually based on the hormone levels in your saliva, but there’s no evidence that these levels are related to your symptoms”.17
On page four in the Joint Position Statement By the British Menopause Society, Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists and Society for Endocrinology on Best Practice Recommendations for the Care of Women Experiencing the Menopause, first published online 10 June 2022, one of the recommendations is:
- “The use of compounded bioidentical hormone replacement therapies is not recommended given the issues related to their purity, potency and safety. The potential benefits of bioidentical hormone therapy can be achieved using conventionally licensed products available through NHS prescribing without having to resort to compounded varieties from specialist pharmacies”.18
Body Identical Hormones
Are body identical hormones available?
Government Approved
Are government approved bioidentical hormones available?
In Bioidentical Hormones: Are They Safer? Are bioidentical or natural hormones safer and more effective than hormones used in traditional hormone therapy for menopause symptoms? the author notes:
In Menopause Management Options: Pharmacy-Compounded Hormones (Bioidentical Hormones) the JH include:
Health Care Provider
What if I choose to use bioidentical hormones?
If you choose to use bioidentical hormones it may be in your best interest to also choose to tell your health care providers you are doing this. The JH caution:
Health Topics A-Z
Where may I find Health Topics A-Z related to Bioidentical Hormones?
In Health Topics A-Z you may find:
Links
Where may I find Links related to Bioidentical Hormones?
Your Country may have Links similar to:
Links
This Links List to third party websites is neither comprehensive nor exhaustive. Inclusion on this Links List does not imply endorsement or recommendation. Non-inclusion on this Links List does not imply non-endorsement or non-recommendation. Third party websites are not under the control of Meno Martha International Menopause Directory. Third party websites may contain explicit medical images and/or sexual references. Please read Meno Martha International Menopause Directory’s Links Policy before proceeding to a Link. Please contact Webmaster if you experience a problem with a Link.New or Updated
- Bioidentical Hormones: Are They Safer? Are bioidentical or natural hormones safer and more effective than hormones used in traditional hormone therapy for menopause symptoms? [03 October 2024]
- Compounding and the FDA: Questions and Answers [05 August 2024]
- HRT Questions Answered [04 October 2024]
- The Menopause Society Statement on Misinformation Surrounding Hormone Therapy [September 2024]
- The South African Menopause Society (SAMS) Statement on Compounded (Bioidentical) Menopausal Hormone Therapy [18 October 2023]
- World Menopause Day: Leaflet for Women
- 20 Years of Data Lead To Changes In Perceptions, Usage of Menopausal HT
- Are Bioidentical Hormones Superior To Hormone Medications?
- BMS & WHC’s 2020 Recommendations on Hormone Replacement Therapy In Menopausal Women [British Menopause Society and Women’s Health Concern
- BMS Statement on Testosterone
- BMS TV: Bioidentical Hormones
- BMS TV: Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT)
- BMS TV: Testosterone Explained
- Bioidentical Custom Compounded Hormone Therapy
- Bioidentical HRT
- Bioidentical Hormones
- Bioidentical Hormones
- Bioidentical Hormones: Are They Safer?
- Complementary/Alternative Therapies for Menopausal Women
- Compounded Bioidentical Hormone Therapy
- Compounded Bioidentical Hormone Therapy [Video]
- Compounding and the FDA: Questions and Answers
- Consumer Video and Podcast Series: 2023 Consumer Videos and Podcasts – NAMS 2023 Nonhormone Therapies Position Statement for Bothersome Menopause Symptoms
- Consumer Video and Podcast Series: 2023 Consumer Videos and Podcasts – New FDA-Approved Nonhormone Option for the Treatment of Hot Flashes
- Consumer Video and Podcast Series: 2024 Consumer Videos and Podcasts – Preparing for Your Menopause Health Care Visit
- Deciding About Hormone Therapy
- Deciding About Hormone Therapy Use
- Emerging Research In the Management of Menopausal Symptoms
- Fact or Fiction? The Role of Regulated Body-Identical Hormone Therapy for Menopausal Women
- Find A Menopause Practitioner [United States and Other]
- Find An AMS Doctor [Australasian Menopause Society i.e. Australia and New Zealand]
- Find Your Nearest BMS Menopause Specialist [British Menopause Society]
- Follicle-Stimulating Hormone (FSH) Levels Test
- HRT Questions Answered
- HRT: Summary
- Herbal Remedies and Complementary Medicines for Menopause Symptoms: Bioidentical Hormones or “Natural” Hormones
- Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT)
- Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT): Alternatives To Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) – Herbal Remedies and Complementary Medicines for Menopause Symptoms: Bioidentical or “Natural” Hormones
- Hot Flashes
- Hot Flashes
- Hot Flashes: What Can I Do? [+ Video: What Are the Signs and Symptoms of Menopause?]
- How To Find Relief for Hot Flashes At Night
- Is It Really ‘FDA Approved?’ FDA Doesn’t Approve Compounded Drugs
- Joint Position Statement by the British Menopause Society, Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists and Society for Endocrinology on Best Practice Recommendations for the Care of Women Experiencing the Menopause
- Later Years (Around 50 Years and Over): Menopause and Post Menopause Health – Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) [+ Video: Is HRT Bad for You?]
- Later Years (Around 50 Years and Over): Menopause and Post Menopause Health – Signs and Symptoms of Menopause [+ Video: Talking Menopause With Your GP]
- Looking At HRT In Perspective
- Luteinizing Hormone (LH) Levels Test
- Mayo Clinic Minute: Help With Hot Flashes Due To Menopause [+ Video Courtesy: Mayo Clinic News Network]
- Mayo Clinic Minute: Lifestyle Changes To Manage Menopause Symptoms [+ Video]
- Menopause
- Menopause
- Menopause Management Options: Pharmacy-Compounded Hormones (Bioidentical Hormones)
- Menopause Map: Downloadable Resources – My Personal Path Print Tools: Questions for Your Health Care Provider
- Menopause Map: Downloadable Resources – My Personal Path Print Tools: Symptom Tracker
- Menopause Patient Information [Videos] 3. The Risks & Benefits of HRT
- Menopause Patient Information [Videos] 4. The Different Types of HRT
- Menopause Preparedness Toolkit Video Series: Treating Vasomotor Symptoms of Menopause
- Menopause Symptoms and Relief
- Menopause Symptoms: Mayo Clinic Expert Outlines Hormone and Nonhormonal Therapies
- Menopause Treatment: Bioidentical Hormones
- Menopause Treatments: What Works, What Doesn’t
- Menopause and HRT
- Menopause and HRT: Fact and Fiction
- Menopause and Natural Therapies
- Menopause, Perimenopause, Hormone Therapy and Other Treatments With Madelyn Butler, MD [Podcast]
- Menopause Preparedness Toolkit: A Woman’s Empowerment Guide
- Menopause: Diagnosis & Treatment
- Menopause: Diagnosis and Management – Information for the Public: Questions To Ask About Menopause – Treatment for Menopausal Symptoms [NICE Guideline]
- Menopause: Understanding the Changes and Finding Relief | Dr Susan Davis | The Proof Podcast EP 256
- National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) Study on the Clinical Utility of Treating Patients With Compounded “Bioidentical” Hormone Therapy
- National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health: Herbs At A Glance
- National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health: How Safe Is This Product or Practice?
- National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health: Natural Doesn’t Necessarily Mean Safer, or Better
- Natural Remedies To Help Manage Perimenopause Symptoms
- Natural Therapies
- Navigating Menopause: Expert Insights and Solutions | Dr Susan Davis | The Proof Podcast EP 245
- Need Reliable and Accurate Information About the Menopause and HRT? Watch This!
- Neither Natural Nor Safe: Compounded Bioidentical Hormones Need Better Evidence
- Nonhormone Treatments for Hot Flashes and Night Sweats
- Office of Dietary Supplements: Black Cohosh
- Office of Dietary Supplements: Dietary Supplement Fact Sheets
- Safety and Efficacy of Compounded Bioidentical Hormone Therapy (cBHT) In Perimenopausal and Postmenopausal Women: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials
- Shedding Light on the Menopause Experience and Demystifying Treatment
- The 2023 Practitioner’s Toolkit for Managing Menopause
- The Clinical Utility of Compounded Bioidentical Hormone Therapy: A Review of Safety, Effectiveness, and Use (2020)
- The Menopause Society Statement on Misinformation Surrounding Hormone Therapy
- The North American Menopause Society Releases Its 2022 Hormone Therapy Position Statement
- The South African Menopause Society (SAMS) Statement on Compounded (Bioidentical) Menopausal Hormone Therapy
- The Truth About Menopause Supplements | Dr Sarah Berry
- Therapy for the Effects of Menopause
- Tips To Help Manage Menopause Symptoms
- Using Natural Therapies In the Menopause Transition – Webinar
- Vaginal Dryness
- Vaginal Dryness Alternative Treatments
- Videos and Podcasts: Videos – Interviews: A Simple Approach To Menopause: The Menopause Quick Six (www.MQ6.ca)
- Webinars: Previous – Non-Hormonal Pharmacological Interventions For VMS
Sources
Where may I find the Sources quoted?
You may find the Sources quoted at:
Sources
- Hamoda, H., Mukherjee, A., Morris, E., Baldeweg, S. E., Jayasena, C. N., Briggs, P., Moger, S. Joint Position Statement By the British Menopause Society, Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists and Society for Endocrinology on Best Practice Recommendations for the Care of Women Experiencing the Menopause. First Published Online 10 June 2022:3-4. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/20533691221104879 Accessed: 07 October 2024
- Menopausal Hormone Therapy. 2022:1. European Menopause and Andropause Society https://emas-online.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Menopausal-hormone-therapy.pdf Accessed: 07 October 2024
- Burnett, T. Bioidentical Hormones: Are They Safer? 03 October 2024. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/menopause/expert-answers/bioidentical-hormones/faq-20058460 Accessed: 07 October 2024
- The 2022 Hormone Therapy Position Statement of The North American Menopause Society. July 2022:771. North American Menopause Society https://www.menopause.org/docs/default-source/professional/nams-2022-hormone-therapy-position-statement.pdf Accessed: 07 October 2024
- Bioidentical HRT: Summary of Key Terminologies. Reviewed: March 2024. British Menopause Society https://thebms.org.uk/publications/consensus-statements/bioidentical-hrt/ Accessed: 07 October 2024
- Bioidentical HRT: Summary of Key Terminologies. Reviewed: March 2024. British Menopause Society https://thebms.org.uk/publications/consensus-statements/bioidentical-hrt/ Accessed: 07 October 2024
- Compounding and the FDA: Questions and Answers – What Is Compounding? Content Current As of: 05 August 2024. Food and Drug Administration https://www.fda.gov/drugs/guidancecomplianceregulatoryinformation/pharmacycompounding/ucm339764.htm Accessed: 07 October 2024
- Burnett, T. Bioidentical Hormones: Are They Safer? 03 October 2024. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/menopause/expert-answers/bioidentical-hormones/faq-20058460 Accessed: 07 October 2024
- Menopause Management Options: Pharmacy-Compounded Hormones (Bioidentical Hormones). Last Updated: 20 September 2024 | Last Reviewed: 19 August 2022. Jean Hailes for Women’s Health https://jeanhailes.org.au/health-a-z/menopause/menopause-management/ Accessed: 07 October 2024
- Bioidentical Hormones: Risks and Benefits – What Are the Risks of Bioidentical Hormones? 15 May 2022. Cleveland Clinic https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/15660-bioidentical-hormones Accessed: 07 October 2024
- The 2022 Hormone Therapy Position Statement of The North American Menopause Society. July 2022:771. North American Menopause Society https://www.menopause.org/docs/default-source/professional/nams-2022-hormone-therapy-position-statement.pdf Accessed: 07 October 2024
- The 2022 Hormone Therapy Position Statement of The North American Menopause Society. July 2022:771. North American Menopause Society https://menopause.org/wp-content/uploads/press-release/ht-position-statement-release.pdf Accessed: 07 October 2024
- Menopause and Menopause Hormone Therapy: 2. What Is MHT? 2024:4. International Menopause Society https://www.imsociety.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/2024-WMD-Leaflet_English.pdf Accessed: 07 October 2024
- Menopause Management Options: Pharmacy-Compounded Hormones (Bioidentical Hormones). Last Updated: 20 September 2024 | Last Reviewed: 19 August 2022. Jean Hailes for Women’s Health https://jeanhailes.org.au/health-a-z/menopause/menopause-management/ Accessed: 07 October 2024
- Bioidentical HRT: Summary of Key Terminologies. Reviewed: March 2024. British Menopause Society https://thebms.org.uk/publications/consensus-statements/bioidentical-hrt/ Accessed: 07 October 2024
- Davis, S. R., Taylor, S., Hemachandra, C., Magraith, K., Ebeling, P. R., Jane, F., and Islam, R. M. The 2023 Practitioner’s Toolkit for Managing Menopause: Management – Considerations for All Women At Menopause: Menopausal Hormone Therapy. Published Online: 30 October 2023 https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/13697137.2023.2258783 Accessed: 07 October 2024
- Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT): Alternatives To Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) – Herbal Remedies and Complementary Medicines for Menopause Symptoms: Bioidentical or “Natural” Hormones. Last Reviewed: 07 February 2023. NHS https://www.nhs.uk/medicines/hormone-replacement-therapy-hrt/alternatives-to-hormone-replacement-therapy-hrt/herbal-remedies-and-complementary-medicines-for-menopause-symptoms/ Accessed: 07 October 2024
- Hamoda, H., Mukherjee, A., Morris, E., Baldeweg, S. E., Jayasena, C. N., Briggs, P., Moger, S. Joint Position Statement By the British Menopause Society, Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists and Society for Endocrinology on Best Practice Recommendations for the Care of Women Experiencing the Menopause. First Published Online 10 June 2022:3-4. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/20533691221104879 Accessed: 07 October 2024
- Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT): Alternatives To Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) – Herbal Remedies and Complementary Medicines for Menopause Symptoms: Bioidentical or “Natural” Hormones. Last Reviewed: 07 February 2023. NHS https://www.nhs.uk/medicines/hormone-replacement-therapy-hrt/alternatives-to-hormone-replacement-therapy-hrt/herbal-remedies-and-complementary-medicines-for-menopause-symptoms/ Accessed: 07 October 2024
- Burnett, T. Bioidentical Hormones: Are They Safer? 03 October 2024. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/menopause/expert-answers/bioidentical-hormones/faq-20058460 Accessed: 07 October 2024
- Menopause Management Options: Pharmacy-Compounded Hormones (Bioidentical Hormones). Last Updated: 20 September 2024 | Last Reviewed: 19 August 2022. Jean Hailes for Women’s Health https://jeanhailes.org.au/health-a-z/menopause/menopause-management/ Accessed: 07 October 2024
- Menopause Management Options: Pharmacy-Compounded Hormones (Bioidentical Hormones). Last Updated: 20 September 2024 | Last Reviewed: 19 August 2022. Jean Hailes for Women’s Health https://jeanhailes.org.au/health-a-z/menopause/menopause-management/ Accessed: 07 October 2024