Verbatim response from Claude
Bioidentical Hormones vs. Standard HRT
Standard HRT
These are hormone therapies using synthetic or animal-derived hormones that may not be molecularly identical to what your body produces naturally.
Examples:
- Premarin (conjugated estrogens from horse urine)
- Provera (medroxyprogesterone acetate - synthetic progestin)
- Prempro (combined estrogen/progestin)
Bioidentical Hormones
These have a molecular structure identical to hormones your body naturally produces.
FDA-Approved Options:
- Estrace (estradiol pills)
- Vivelle-Dot (estradiol patch)
- Prometrium (bioidentical progesterone)
- Divigel (estradiol gel)
Compounded Options:
- Custom-mixed by pharmacies like Women's International Pharmacy or Belmar Pharmacy
- Note: These lack FDA approval and standardized dosing
Key Practical Points
- Telehealth services like Midi Health, Alloy, or Gennev specialize in helping women navigate these options
- Most doctors recommend FDA-approved bioidenticals as the middle ground
- Compounded versions need careful monitoring
Bottom line: Talk to a menopause specialist - the Menopause Society (NAMS) has a provider finder at menopause.org to find qualified doctors.