What are Natural or Bio-identical Hormones?
Bio-identical literally means “body, same or identical to the body” and that they are the exact same biochemical and molecular structure as the hormones your body produces. When describing replacement hormones, the word “natural” is used to refer to the structure of the hormone molecule, not its source. These hormones are produced from the wild yam plant (Diascorea composite) which is easily converted by biochemists into other molecules that are identical in every way to “Natural” estrogens, progesterone, testosterone and other hormones. These bio-identical and natural substances cannot be patented by a pharmaceutical company and therefore not widely known in the U.S. until recently. Natural hormones have been used in Europe for decades and can be obtained from soy or wild yam.
• The terms natural and bio-identical hormone replacement are often used interchangeably. Natural hormones are those chemical messengers which have existed in our bodies since conception. Bio-identical hormones are structurally identical to the hormones our bodies naturally create but are made in a lab and are ingested to replace falling natural hormone levels. The hormone receptors cannot tell the difference, the body accepts and metabolizes these bio-identical hormones as if it made them. They are not drugs but are produced by pharmaceutical manufacturers or compounding pharmacies so potency and purity are assured. This is quite different from the creams sold at health food stores. In contrast, synthetic hormones are created by pharmaceutical companies by altering the natural hormone’s structure so that their product can be patented. Synthetic hormones can produce many desirable effects but may also have negative side effects or dangerous metabolites (see below). I use bio-identical
