Bioidentical hormones, available by prescription or over the counter, contain both active and inactive ingredients. The active ingredients, chemicals similar to natural hormones, replace substances lost because of disease or aging. The inactive ingredients make such drugs more attractive, more stable and easier to swallow. While often effective, patients should proceed with caution as these medications can cause short-term and long-term side effects.
Testosterone
Older men with testosterone deficiency syndrome often have difficulty maintaining their body weight. Taking exogenous testosterone can help remedy this problem. Not all forms of the male hormone are bioidentical, but the skin readily absorbs pure testosterone delivered in a transdermal patch.
A 2010 investigation described in the "Journal of the American Geriatrics Society" looked at the effects of bioidentical testosterone in frail men. The results indicated that, relative to a control condition, one year of transdermal treatment increased lean body mass and bone mineral density. Men receiving testosterone reported no more adverse events than those receiving placebo.
Estrogen
Older women with estrogen deficiency typically experience vasomotor symptoms such as temperature dysregulation. This change causes the women to feel unusually hot or cold. Doctors often prescribe estrogen replacement therapy to treat this problem. Exogenous estrogen, when taken as 17-beta estradiol, is bioidentical because it's similar to the body's natural estrogen.
A 2008 experiment published in the the medical journal "Maturitas" evaluated the impact of bioidentical estrogen in postmenopausal women. The data showed that 17-beta estradiol improved vasomotor symptoms compared to an inert treatment. Estrogen intake improved physical health, mental health, and cognitive performance as well. No significant negative reactions were reported during the treatment.
Progesterone
Newly postmenopausal women experiencing menstrual difficulties may benefit from combining two natural hormones. A 2010 report presented in the periodical "Climacteric" tested the combination of natural estrogen and natural progesterone versus natural estrogen and synthetic progesterone. Women receiving the all-natural treatment reported a more regular bleeding pattern, less spotting, and greater compliance. Replacement therapy using the two bioidentical hormones was well tolerated with no serious side effects reported.
Dehydroepiandrosterone
Younger women having a difficult time becoming pregnant can use bioidentical drugs to increase their fertility. A 2010 clinical trial offered in the the journal "Human Reproduction" measured fertility scores following the intake of dehydroepiandrosterone, DHEA. This adrenal hormone is a precursor for testosterone and estrogen and plays an important role in reproduction. In the 2010 study, adding a few days use of DHEA to an in vitro fertilization protocol increased embryo quality and birth rate relative to a control group. Women taking the DHEA reported no more adverse reactions than those taking the placebo.
References
- "Journal of the American Geriatrics Society"; Effects of Transdermal Testosterone on Bone and Muscle in Older Men with Low Bioavailable Testosterone Levels, Low Bone Mass, and Physical Frailty; A. M. Kenny et al.; June 2010
- "Maturitas"; Effects of Estradiol on the Cognitive Function of Postmenopausal Women; R. M. Marinho et al.; July 2008
- "Climacteric"; Transdermal Estradiol and Oral or Vaginal Natural Progesterone: Bleeding Patterns; C. Di Carlo et al; October 2010
- "Human Reproduction"; Addition of dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) for poor-responder patients before and during IVF treatment improves the pregnancy rate: A randomized prospective study; A. Wiser et al.; Aug. 21, 2010
