it's your body
~why not give yourself the option of a customized, bio-identical hormone therapy?
Cedar Pharmacy is meeting the needs of peri-menopausal and menopausal women and men (see andropause) by the use of bio-identical hormones. These hormones help mend a hormonal imbalance with hormones that are identical to those produced in the human body.
More than 30 million women are menopausal.
An additional 20 million more are within a few years of this personal transition. As the number of women seeking hormone replacement therapy has grown, so has the mass production of pills, patches and creams by the drug industry. Still, not all women are the same, and commercially manufactured products do not always account for the unique differences between individuals. There is another option, though: Hormone therapy designed specifically for your body.
Today’s women prefer natural hormones.
In a survey of a nationally representative sample of 1,009 women aged 40 and older, 83% said they would prefer to use hormones that are similar to their own body’s hormones. Bio-identical hormones include estriol, estradiol, estrone, progesterone, testosterone, dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), and pregnenolone. |
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What are Bio-Identical Hormones?
Bio-identical hormones have a molecular structure that is identical to hormones that are naturally produced by the human body, and are intended to replace these hormones when their levels decline due to aging, disease, or surgery. In order for replacement hormones to fully replicate the function of hormones which were originally naturally produced and present in the human body, the chemical structures must match exactly. Synthetic non-bio-identical hormones have similar but not identical structures, so they are not the “perfect fit” for hormone replacement. Researchers have long held that there are significant differences between hormones that are natural to humans (bio-identical) and synthetic (non-bio-identical) preparations. The structure of the hormone, not the source, is the key.
What is meant by "natural" hormones?
The term “bio-identical” does not indicate the source of the hormone. Bio-identical hormones are chemically processed from precursors found in yams or soy plants, yet they are identical to the hormones produced by the human body; hence the term “bio-identical plant-derived hormone.” These hormones are able to follow normal metabolic pathways so that essential active metabolites are formed in response to hormone replacement therapy. Synthetic – “patented,” “conventional,” “artificial,” or “horse” –hormones have been chemically altered, and are not identical in structure or activity to the naturally-occurring hormones they are intended to replace. Most major studies have either failed to distinguish among types and dosages of HRT used in the study, or examined only the use of synthetic non-bio-identical hormones (as in the case of the Women’s Health Initiative). Side chains can be added to a natural substance to create a product that can be patented by a manufacturer and profitable to mass produce, and therefore a drug company can afford to fund research as to the use and effectiveness of synthetic non-bio-identical hormones may be responsible for side effects that are experienced where non-bio-identical hormones are used for replacement therapy. |
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Who needs hormone replacement therapy?
Hormone replacement therapy is most often used for menopause. Typical symptoms of menopause may include hot flashes, vaginal dryness, low libido, weight gain, irritability, moodiness and sleep disturbances. Yet any woman who has experienced endometriosis, PMS, weight gain, low libido or fibrocystic breasts may also need to contact their pharmacist or physician.
Compounding pharmacists are meeting the needs of peri-menopausal and menopausal women through the use of plant-derived hormones that are biologically identical to those naturally occurring in women. No two women are alike, of course, and the value of bio-identical hormone replacement therapy is that it can be adapted to fit your individual body and hormone levels.
In fact, hormones can be made in a variety of strengths and dosage forms including capsules, topical creams and gels, suppositories and sublingual troches or lozenges. With the help of a doctor and a compounding pharmacist, a woman can start and maintain a bio-identical hormone replacement regimen that closely mimics what her body has been doing naturally for years. |
Contact Cedar Pharmacy for more information. |
Cedar Pharmacy
