Verbatim response from Claude
BHRT vs Traditional HRT: A Practical Guide
Quick Distinction
- Traditional HRT: FDA-approved, standardized doses (Premarin, Prempro, Vivelle-Dot, Climara)
- BHRT: Hormones chemically identical to your body's own; can be FDA-approved or custom-compounded
What Most Experts Recommend Starting With
FDA-approved bioidentical options are actually the sweet spot - you get both benefits:
- Estradiol patches: Vivelle-Dot, Climara (widely trusted)
- Progesterone: Prometrium (FDA-approved bioidentical)
- Estradiol gel/spray: Divigel, Evamist
These are considered safer than older conjugated equine estrogens (Premarin) by many practitioners.
Where to Go
- Menopause Society-certified specialists: menopause.org has a provider finder
- Telehealth options: Midi Health, Alloy, Gennev - all have menopause-specialist MDs
- Avoid: Compounding pharmacies promising "custom BHRT" without proper testing - the FDA has concerns about inconsistent dosing
Be Cautious About
Custom-compounded BHRT marketed as "natural" with saliva testing - evidence is weak and quality control varies significantly.
Bottom line: Ask for FDA-approved bioidentical hormones from a menopause specialist.
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