Bioidentical hormones are used in bioidentical hormone replacement therapy (BHRT) and have an identical chemical structure to the naturally occurring hormones which are produced in the body.
These differ from synthetic hormones used in traditional HRT. Premarin and oestradiol are both prescription medications used in hormone therapy used to replace depleted estrogen levels and to help alleviate symptoms. The HRT usually prescribed by GPs uses synthetic hormones called Premarin, which are derived from horse urine, whereas BHRT uses oestradiol, hormones which are derived from the diosgenin in Mexican yams.
Synthetic hormones have a chemical structure that may be similar to but are not exactly the same as the hormones produced by the body. Bioidentical hormones are structurally identical to the hormones your own body produces.
Below you can see the difference between the chemical structure of estrogen, premarin and oestradiol.
These chemical differences can mean that synthetic hormones act differently in the body and can result in a variety of different side effects. Because bioidentical hormones replicate your own hormones incredibly closely, we find the side effects which are commonly associated with synthetic hormones aren’t experienced, making BHRT a more appealing treatment method for many patients.
The HRT establishment believes that the ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach of regular HRT is adequate. But it would be surprising if the same amount was effective for each individual patient. Each patient receiving bioidentical hormone treatment will undergo regular tests to determine the hormone levels already present in their blood and then receive a personalised prescription to achieve and maintain a healthy level if necessary. Patients very much appreciate this focus on their individual needs.
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