Where do the three estrogens in bioidentical HRT come from?
The giant Mexican yam, but that’s just the starting point. Manufacturers start with a molecule from the yam and then chemically alter it until it’s the same as human estriol, estrone or estradiol. Yams are used because they are cheap to grow and produce a molecule that’s easy to convert to human estrogens. (The first birth-control pill had estrogen derived from yams, but it was not bioidentical.) Q: Will eating yams reduce menopause symptoms? A: No. The molecule in yams has no estrogen-like effects. It’s only the starting point for the chemical process that produces bioidentical estrogens. Q: Is bioidentical HRT the same as plant sources of estrogen, such as soy, red clover or flax seeds? A: No. Some plants have chemical agents in them that have some estrogen-like effects in the human body, but are not bioidentical. Q: How long has bioidentical HRT been available? A: For about 20 years. Dr. Jonathan Wright, whose Renton clinic treats more than 10,000 women with natural HRT, was one of
