What are bioidentical hormones and where do I get them from?
Bioidentical hormones are natural hormones that are chemically identical to the hormones that are produced by your own body, as opposed to synthetic hormones which are synthesised to be unique and able to be patented by the manufacturing drug companies. Bioidentical hormones are made from a substance extracted from Mexican wild yam, or from soybeans. Our bodies however cannot obtain the hormones directly from these sources. In the laboratory diosgenin is synthesized into the chemically identical equivalent of the hormone (for e.g. progesterone) produced in the body. Bioidentical hormones can only be obtained from a compounding pharmacy with a prescription from your doctor. Compounding pharmacies can make bioidentical hormones in the form of capsules, cream, oil, gel, liquids, troches (oral lozenge), suppositories (for rectal or vaginal application) and pessaries (for vaginal application). Dosing is patient specific, so each dose can be compounded according to the patient’s needs, where
