The onset of menopause signals the end of one life stage and the beginning of another. As noted by the Mayo Clinic, the bridging period, or time before you actually reach menopause, is often accompanied by hot flashes. Hot flashes are characterized by rapid heartbeat, flushing and perspiration. If symptoms begin to affect your quality of life, there are options for relief. Hormone replacement therapy is one option, but it may increase your risk of developing heart disease. Bioidentical progesterone may be an alternative to traditional HRT for managing hot flashes.
The Facts
Progesterone is a female sex hormone your ovaries produce to help balance estrogen levels as well as prevent your body from retaining water. Bioidentical progesterone is, as its name implies, structurally identical to natural progesterone, and, according to the Harvard Health Publications website, your body cannot distinguish between the two. Bioidentical identical progesterone comes in either pill form or a 4 percent vaginal cream, both of which contain micronized, or ground, progesterone derived from yam or soy extract. Another option is a customized form your pharmacist mixes, most often according to your doctor's instructions.
How It Works
Laboratory produced synthetic hormone drugs, according to the traditional and alternative medicine clinic Life Works Wellness Center, focus on the symptoms of menopause rather than its cause. In contrast, bioidentical hormones focus on reducing symptoms by restoring your normal hormonal balance.
Effects
Although bioidentical progesterone will not stop hot flashes, it does appear to alleviate their symptoms. A study published in August 1999 in the journal "Obstetrics and Gynecology" states that during the initial stages of the study, 69 percent of the women given bioidentical progesterone cream reported vasomotor symptoms, or hot flashes. Of these women, 83 percent reported a significant reduction in hot flash symptoms over the course of the 12-month study.
Safety
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) lists the pill form of bioidentical progesterone, Prometrium, as one of three approved progesterone-only medications. However, there is concern about bioidentical hormones that some pharmacists compound, or custom-mix, and market without the supervision of a doctor. In February 2009, the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology (ACOG) published a position statement regarding the safety of compounded bioidentical hormones, including progesterone. The ACOG states there is no evidence that these hormones are safe. Reasons for this mainly center on ingredients some pharmacists add as well as marketing claims regarding both safety and effectiveness.
Considerations
The best idea, says both the FDA and ACOG, is to talk to your doctor about menopause symptoms. Your doctor will assess your health and any risk factors present, as well consider your preferences when creating a treatment plan that is right for you.
References
- MayoClinic: Menopause: Symptoms
- MayoClinic: Hot Flashes
- Harvard Health Publications/Harvard Medical School: What are Bioidentical Hormones?
- Lifeworks Wellness Center: Natural Hormone Replacement Therapy with Bioidentical Hormones
- Science Direct: Transdermal Progesterone Cream for Vasomotor Symptoms and Postmenopausal Bone Loss
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration: Consumers" Menopause -- Medicines to Help You
