“Bioidentical hormones are hormones
from plant sources that are chemically similar
or identical to hormones produced in the human body”.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 Menopause FAQs: Hormone Therapy for Menopause Symptoms – Q. I’ve heard about something called bioidentical hormones. What are they? the North American Menopause Society’s (NAMS) definition is:
Body-Identical Hormone Therapy
What is body-identical hormone therapy?
DotS the definition of body-identical hormone therapy may vary. In Bioidentical Custom Compounded Hormone Therapy the Australasian Menopause Society’s (AMS) definition is:
Drug Compounding
What is drug compounding?
DotS the definition of drug compounding may vary. In Compounding and the FDA: Questions and Answers – What Is Compounding? the FDA elaborate on:
Compounded Bioidentical Hormones
What are compounded bioidentical hormones?
DotS the definition of compounded bioidentical hormones may vary. In Complementary and Herbal Therapies for Hot Flushes: Compounded Bioidentical Menopausal Hormone Therapy the AMS note:
In Compounding and the FDA: Questions and Answers – Are Compounded Drugs Approved By FDA? the 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 (United States) Mayo Clinic author explains:
In Bioidentical Custom Compounded Hormone Therapy the AMS explain:
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”.10
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:
Testing or Not
Is serum, saliva or urine hormone testing necessary?
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:
Government Approved
Are government approved bioidentical hormones available?
Yes. In Bioidentical Hormone Therapy: Custom Compounded versus Government Approved published in 2020, the NAMS 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 also note:
In Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) Alternatives: Bioidentical or “Natural” Hormones the (United Kingdom) NHS include:
In Menopause Management Options: Pharmacy-Compounded Hormones (Bioidentical Hormones) the JH include:
Recommended or Not
Do menopause societies, women’s health organizations and other organization, recommend the use of compounded hormone therapy?
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
In Menopause Management Options: Pharmacy-Compounded Hormones (Bioidentical Hormones) the JH note:
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 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
- 20 Years of Data Lead To Changes In Perceptions, Usage of Menopausal HT
- 9 Myths and Misunderstandings About Menopausal Hormone Therapy (MHT): 7. Myth – Compounded Bioidentical Hormone Therapy Is Safer Than Conventional MHT
- Askearlymenopause.org [Ask EM] [+ Video: What Is Early Menopause?]
- Bioidentical Custom Compounded Hormone Therapy
- Bioidentical HRT [British Menopause Society Consensus Statement]
Bioidentical Hormone Therapy
- Bioidentical Hormones
- Bioidentical Hormones
- Bioidentical Hormones Explained – A British Menopause Society Video
- Bioidentical Hormones – Ask Dr Jean
- Bioidentical Hormones: Are They Safer?
- Complementary Medicine Options for Menopausal Symptoms
- Complementary/Alternative Therapies for Menopausal Women
- Compounded Bioidentical Hormone Therapy
- Compounded Bioidentical Hormone Therapy [Video]
- Compounding Interests: The Risks of Bioidentical Hormones
- Compounding and the FDA: Questions and Answers
- Custom-Compounded Bioidentical HT for Menopause Symptoms May Yield ‘Abnormally High’ Hormone Levels
- Deciding About Hormone Therapy
- Deciding About Hormone Therapy Use
- Despite Effectiveness Women Remain Skeptical of Hormones At Menopause—What’s the Problem?
- Dr Gail Busby – I Forgot To Ask the Doctor – Episode 9 The Menopause
- Endocrine Society Encourages Clinicians To Avoid Prescribing Compounded Hormones
- 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 and Alternatives
- HRT: Summary
- Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) Explained – A British Menopause Society Video
- 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
- Index To Drug-Specific Information [United States]
- 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 [+ Video: Talking Menopause With Your GP]
- Lifestyle and Behaviour Changes for Menopausal Symptoms
- Lifestyle and Behavioural Modifications for Menopausal Symptoms
- Looking At HRT In Perspective
- Luteinizing Hormone (LH) Levels Test
- Managing Menopausal Symptoms—Hormone Replacement Therapy Is Not the Only Option!
- Mayo Clinic Minute: Help With Hot Flashes Due To Menopause [+ Video]
- Mayo Clinic Minute: Lifestyle Changes To Manage Menopause Symptoms [+ Video]
- Menopause
- Menopause
- Menopause
- Menopause
- Menopause & Herbs
- Menopause FAQs: Hormone Therapy for Menopause Symptoms – Q. I’ve heard about something called bioidentical hormones. What are they?
- Menopause FAQs: Hot Flashes
- Menopause Management Options: Pharmacy-Compounded 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 What Are the Symptoms?
- Menopause: Diagnosis & Treatment
- Menopause: Diagnosis and Management – Information for the Public: Questions To Ask About Menopause – Treatment for Menopausal Symptoms [NICE Guideline]
- Menopause: Medicines To Help You
- Menopause: Menopause – Hormone Treatments
- NAMS Applauds NASEM Efforts on Compounded Bioidentical Hormone Therapy
- 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: 4 Things To Know About Menopausal Symptoms and Complementary Health Practices
- 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: Know the Science: How Medications and Supplements Can Interact
- National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health: Menopausal Symptoms: In Depth: What the Science Says About Complementary Health Approaches for Menopausal Symptoms – Other Complementary Approaches: Bioidentical Hormones
- National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health: Natural Doesn’t Necessarily Mean Safer, or Better
- Natural Remedies To Help Manage Perimenopause Symptoms
- Natural Therapies & Supplements
- Neither Natural Nor Safe: Compounded Bioidentical Hormones Need Better Evidence
- Non-Estrogen Treatments for Menopausal Symptoms
- Office of Dietary Supplements: Black Cohosh
- Office of Dietary Supplements: Dietary Supplement Fact Sheets
- Optimising the Menopause Transition: 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
- Safety and Efficacy of Compounded Bioidentical Hormone Therapy (cBHT) In Perimenopausal and Postmenopausal Women: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials
- The Clinical Utility of Compounded Bioidentical Hormone Therapy: A Review of Safety, Effectiveness, and Use (2020)
- The Issue With Bioidentical Hormones — Free Health Article
- The North American Menopause Society Releases Its 2022 Hormone Therapy Position Statement
- Tips To Help Manage Menopause Symptoms
- Using Natural Therapies In the Menopause Transition – Webinar
- Vaginal Dryness Alternative Treatments
- Video Series-2020: What You Need to Know About Bioidentical Hormone Therapy
- Video Series-2021: Treatment Options for Vaginal Dryness and Urinary Issues
- Video Series-2022: Hormone Therapy: Understanding the Risks and Benefits
- Video Series-2022: New Treatment Options for Menopause Symptoms Are Around the Corner
- Video Series-2022: Perimenopause, Signs, Symptoms, and Solutions
- Videos and Podcasts: Interviews and Podcasts – Interviews: New Hormonal Tests To Diagnose or Even Predict the Menopause?
- What Everyone Should Know About Menopause Symptoms
Sources
Where may I find the Sources quoted?
You may find the Sources quoted at:
Sources
- Menopause Management Options: Pharmacy-Compounded Hormones (Bioidentical Hormones). Last Updated: 08 September 2022 | Last Reviewed: 19 August 2022. Jean Hailes for Women’s Health https://jeanhailes.org.au/health-a-z/menopause/menopause-management/ Accessed: 23 January 2023
- Menopausal Hormone Therapy. 2022:1. European Menopause and Andropause Society https://emas-online.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Menopausal-hormone-therapy.pdf Accessed: 23 January 2023
- Menopause FAQs: Hormone Therapy for Menopause Symptoms – Q. I’ve heard about something called bioidentical hormones. What are they? North American Menopause Society https://www.menopause.org/for-women/menopause-faqs-hormone-therapy-for-menopause-symptoms Accessed: 23 January 2023
- Bioidentical Custom Compounded Hormone Therapy. Content Updated: May 2018. Australasian Menopause Society https://www.menopause.org.au/hp/information-sheets/212-bioidentical-hormones-for-menopausal-symptoms Accessed: 23 January 2023
- Compounding and the FDA: Questions and Answers – What Is Compounding? Content Current As of: 29 June 2022. Food and Drug Administration https://www.fda.gov/drugs/guidancecomplianceregulatoryinformation/pharmacycompounding/ucm339764.htm Accessed: 23 January 2023
- Complementary and Herbal Therapies for Hot Flushes: Compounded Bioidentical Menopausal Hormone Therapy. Content Updated: January 2018. Australasian Menopause Society https://www.menopause.org.au/hp/information-sheets/734-complementary-and-herbal-therapies-for-hot-flushes Accessed: 23 January 2023
- Compounding and the FDA: Questions and Answers – What Is Compounding? Content Current As of: 29 June 2022. Food and Drug Administration https://www.fda.gov/drugs/guidancecomplianceregulatoryinformation/pharmacycompounding/ucm339764.htm Accessed: 23 January 2023
- Burnett, T. Bioidentical Hormones: Are They Safer? 07 December 2022. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/menopause/expert-answers/bioidentical-hormones/faq-20058460 Accessed: 23 January 2023
- Bioidentical Custom Compounded Hormone Therapy. Content Updated: May 2018. Australasian Menopause Society https://www.menopause.org.au/hp/information-sheets/212-bioidentical-hormones-for-menopausal-symptoms Accessed: 23 January 2023
- Menopause Management Options: Pharmacy-Compounded Hormones (Bioidentical Hormones). Last Updated: 08 September 2022 | Last Reviewed: 19 August 2022. Jean Hailes for Women’s Health https://jeanhailes.org.au/health-a-z/menopause/menopause-management/ Accessed: 23 January 2023
- 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: 23 January 2023
- 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: 23 January 2023
- 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: 23 January 2023
- Menopausal Symptoms: In Depth: What the Science Says About Complementary Approaches for Menopause Symptoms – Other Complementary Approaches: Bioidentical Hormones. Last Updated: May 2017. National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health https://www.nccih.nih.gov/health/menopausal-symptoms-in-depth Accessed: 23 January 2023
- 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: 23 January 2023
- Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) Alternatives: Bioidentical or “Natural” Hormones. Page Last Reviewed: 09 September 2019. NHS https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/hormone-replacement-therapy-hrt/alternatives/ Accessed: 23 January 2023
- Menopause Management Options: Pharmacy-Compounded Hormones (Bioidentical Hormones). Last Updated: 08 September 2022 | Last Reviewed: 19 August 2022. Jean Hailes for Women’s Health https://jeanhailes.org.au/health-a-z/menopause/menopause-management/ Accessed: 23 January 2023
- Hamoda et al. 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 10 June 2022:3-4. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/20533691221104879 Accessed: 23 January 2023
- Menopause Management Options: Pharmacy-Compounded Hormones (Bioidentical Hormones). Last Updated: 08 September 2022 | Last Reviewed: 19 August 2022. Jean Hailes for Women’s Health https://jeanhailes.org.au/health-a-z/menopause/menopause-management/ Accessed: 23 January 2023
- Menopause Management Options: Pharmacy-Compounded Hormones (Bioidentical Hormones). Last Updated: 08 September 2022 | Last Reviewed: 19 August 2022. Jean Hailes for Women’s Health https://jeanhailes.org.au/health-a-z/menopause/menopause-management/ Accessed: 23 January 2023