Bioidentical hormone replacement therapy is a method used to help treat the symptoms of menopause. Although bioidentical hormones are not yet FDA approved, they are being used more and more across the world everyday. The FDA says that since they are considered to be natural, regardless of their source, they cannot be patented.

Bioidentical hormones, sometimes referred to as natural hormones, are those that are molecularly identical to the hormones that we produce in our bodies. Hormones and steroids are taken from plants and animals and altered to a state of identical molecular structure, then put into a form that can be taken by the patient: cream, oral, vaginal or injections.

The plants that are used to extract the hormones are soy and yams, while the animals are pigs or horses. Although these hormones become molecular identical to the ones we produce, they cannot be considered completely natural due to the fact that they are altered in a laboratory. Most women are worried about the source of the hormones more than the actual hormones, due to the fact that synthetic hormones, which have been around for years, have been found to carry health risks. Below is a list of products that are bioidentical, and non-bioidentical:

Bioidentical Estrogen

• Micronized estradiol/Estrace-Synthesized from soy and yam.

• Estradiol/Alora-Synthetic.

• Estradiol/Climara-Synthesized from soybeans.

• Estradiol/Estraderm-Synthesized from Mexican yams.

• Estradiol/Fem Patch-Synthetic.

• Estradiol/Vivelle, Vivelle-Dot-Synthesized from Mexican yams.

• Estradiol/Estring-Synthesized from Mexican yams.

Non-Bioidentical Estrogen

• Conjugated estrogens/Premarin-Pregnant mares' urine.

• Conjugated estrogens/Cenestin-Synthesized from soy and yams.

• Esterified estrogens (estrone, equilin)/Estra Tab-both estrone and equillin are synthesized from soy and yams.

• Esterified estrogens (estrone, equillin)/Menest-Both estrone and equillin are synthesized from soy and yams.

• Micronized estradiol/Estrace-Synthesized from soy and yams.

• Estropipate/Ogen-Synthesized from Mexican yams.

• Estropipate/Ortho-Est-Synthesized from yams.

• Ethinyl estradiol/Estinyl-Synthesized from Mexican yams.

• Estradiol cypionate/Depo-Estradiol-Synthetic.

• Estradiol valerate/Delestrogen-Synthetic.

For more information about bioidentical hormones, please visit http://bioidenticalmedicaldictionary.com