Is there any difference between bio identical HRT and body identical HRT or are they the same thing? This question has been confusing me for a while and clearly confuses others too from posts I have seen on support groups and chatting to friends. I wrote a post about my own journey through perimenopause and my decision to take HRT (read it here) but I still felt it was confusing and I wanted to research further so that the information I share on my blog is as clear as it can be. So this is a fairly short post but hopefully it will still be helpful. The best and simplest information I found was from The British Menopause Society and their statement here. What is obvious is that the terms bio identical hormones and body identical hormones are constantly confused and that there is in fact a difference. cBHRT Compounding Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy Spot the tiny 'c' in front here - this refers to the fact that the HRT is from a compounding pharmacy and the term bioidentical is used as market terminology for many of the private menopause clinics. This type of HRT is not regulated and the cream form of progesterone prescribed will not protect your uterine lining. rBHRT Regulated Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy Again spot the tiny 'r' in front, this is what your GP will refer to as Body Identical HRT and it is regulated, it is body or bio identical and it is the most up to date and safest form of HRT available. The oestrogen comes in a transdermal gel and the progesterone is Utrogestan although some women prefer to have the mirena coil to protect their uterine lining (the mirena coil contains a very small dose of synthetic progesterone). This HRT is regulated by NICE and your GP can prescribe it. Some women choose to go to a private clinic, I see a private menopause specialist due to my progesterone intolerance, but that is personal choice, it is not a necessity. In terms of the safety of HRT since the big breast cancer scare way back - where a whole generation of women missed out on the benefits (and there are huge health benefits) of HRT - this is the best book I have been recommended - Oestrogen Matters, Why taking hormones in menopause can improve women's well-being and lengthen their lives, without raising the risk of breast cancer - I have not read it yet myself but I am planning to, So that is it, hopefully it will help clear up the matter to any of my readers that are confused and it will serve as a supplementary post to my original HRT post where I feel I didn't explain it properly (because I was still unsure myself)!! Love from Michelle xx I'm just back from a fabulous fun weekend with my girlfriends where the subject of menopause came up quite a lot! It is important to talk and share our experiences and support each other.
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2/11/2019 10:45:01 am
Some people are unaware of different types of HRT existed which makes them take wrong decisions which might cost a lot. So, everyone should be aware of such aspects. Women who want to undergo such therapy should do a lot of research on the internet to learn more about different aspects of HRT and should take suggestions from experienced and reliable professionals prior to undergo the procedure.
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Michelle Green
2/11/2019 04:09:55 pm
Thank you Clara and yes I absolutely agree, we should definitely be researching and reading as much as we can before making a decision, unfortunately there is a lot of misleading information out there and finding an expert from reliable recommendations is really important. The Liz Earle podcast series has a lot of good info on it and is a good place to start. Michelle x
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Michelle ...Welcome to Fifty & Fab – a lifestyle blog to inspire and empower women over 50. I’m passionate about sharing insights on health, menopause, fitness, beauty, and style, tailored just for you! Categories
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![]() Hi, I’m Michelle and my blog Fifty & Fab is all about my journey into and through my 50s. I started this blog in 2016 with the purpose of helping other women at this stage of life. I’m delighted that my blog has grown to over 13k visitors per month. Visit my Work with Me page and request my Media Kit for details of product reviews, blogging services and social media content creation.
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