Bioidentical Hormone Therapy

What Is Bioidentical Hormone Therapy?

Bioidentical hormone therapy uses hormones that are chemically identical to the ones your body naturally produces. This treatment helps restore balance when levels of estrogen, progesterone, or other hormones decline, especially during menopause. The therapy can reduce symptoms such as hot flashes, night sweats, fatigue, and mood changes, helping women feel more like themselves again. The team at Conejo Women’s Medical Center provides personalized bioidentical hormone therapy to support your health and well-being through every stage of life.

Bioidentical Hormone Therapy Q & A

What are bio-identical hormones?

Bio-identical hormones are identical in molecular structure to the hormones created by the body, which means the body can’t tell them apart from its own naturally recurring hormones. They’re usually synthesized from a plant such as yam or soy, and can be used for treating menopausal symptoms. They can also be beneficial in many other areas, such as:

Reduction of hot flashes
Improvement of sleep
Reduction of muscle aches and pains
Improvement in mood changes
Relief from symptoms of urinary frequency
Reduction in osteoporosis
Reduction in cardiovascular disease
Significant improvement in vaginal dryness and sexual function

Who should consider hormone therapy?

The decision to take hormones requires consideration of all the risks and benefits involved for everyone. When Dr. McMurray prescribes bio-identical hormones, she recommends the lowest dose possible to relieve her patient’s symptoms. Lab tests are also performed as needed to customize the treatment.

Dr. McMurray will decide if hormone therapy is a good treatment option for you after she learns about your individual symptoms and health risks, and the best way for her to get that information is through a face-to-face conversation. For example, if she discovers that a patient has had a history of breast cancer or cardiovascular disease, she won’t prescribe bio-identical hormones.

What are the benefits of bio-identical hormone therapy?

Hormone therapy can have a variety of benefits, and Dr. McMurray highly recommends it to patients who:

Show loss of collagen
Have had a hysterectomy before menopause
Have poorly functioning ovaries
Have a family history of osteoporosis
Have symptoms such as vaginal dryness, painful intercourse, or lack of libido
Suffer from postnatal depression or premenstrual depression
Experience moderate to severe hot flashes or other menopausal symptoms

However, she never recommends it for disease prevention. The only exception to that rule is when she’s addressing women under age 60 with a substantially increased risk of bone fractures.

Patients who have questions about hormone-replacement therapy are always welcome to contact the office or stop by to learn more from Dr. McMurray.