Natural Health and Compounding Frequently Asked Questions
We would like to answer any questions at all that you have about the subjects and conditions that we describe on this Web site. Here are a list of some of the most common questions we receive.
Questions
Please click on the question to be directed to the answer.
- What is a Compounding Chemist?
- What are bioidentical hormones?
- How are the bioidentical hormones made?
- Do progesterone creams absorb? My doctor told me you can bathe in the cream without absorbing any.
- My doctor told me that bioidentical hormones do not work. Is this true?
- My doctor told me that these sex hormones are not registered by the TGA and therefore dangerous?
- Should I have my hormone levels tested? If so, is blood or saliva tests more accurate?
- How do I get started on Bioidentical hormones?
- How do I get off synthetic hormones and onto Bioidentical hormones?
- Can I get Bioidentical Hormones from any Pharmacy?
- What are troches and do you recommend them?
- Will these hormones make me gain weight?
- I am allergic to many ingredients found in most capsules and creams. Can you help?
- Do you recommend Armour Thyroid (thyroid extract)?
Answers
What is a Compounding Chemist?
A compounding chemist is a pharmacist specifically trained to produce customized medication to suite the requirements of the individual patient. Over the years this art has all but disappeared from the dispensary being replaced by medications mass produced by large pharmaceutical companies. Our modern purpose built compounding laboratory has all the appropriate equipment and able to source raw ingredients world wide in order to provide previously unavailable medication and nutritional supplements to our patients.
What are bioidentical hormones?
In contrast to traditional HRT which utilizes synthetic or animal derived hormones, bioidentical hormones have a molecular structure which is an exact match of the hormones found in the human body, hence we call them bioidentical. Because bioidentical hormones are just like the hormones our bodies were designed to recognize and utilize their effects are more consistent with our bodies biochemistry.
How are the bioidentical hormones made?
As there is no practical way of extracting bioidentical hormones from nature scientists have developed a way to produce these hormones from a plant source. Bioidentical hormones such as the three estrogens, progesterone, testosterone, DHEA and cortisol are all synthesized from a hormone precursor extracted from either soy beans or wild yam called diosgenin. We prefer to use Soy derived diosgenin as it is considered by many to be of superior quality when compared to yam. Diosgenin has a molecular structure very similar to all these closely related hormones. Once the diosgenin has been extracted from the soy beans and purified its molecular structure is then modified in order to convert it into the appropriate hormone. By this stage the hormones are absolutely free of any chemicals found in soy beans so if you are allergic to soy these hormones should not pose any problem at all.
Once the appropriate hormone has been made it is purified to a pharmaceutical grade purity and then micronized to maximise absorption. Although these hormones are synthesized it should not be mistaken that they are synthetic. Much like most vitamin C on the market which has been synthesised however is still a naturally existing compound in nature. Synthetic refers that the molecule does not exist naturally but has been designed and made by man to produce a totally new molecule.
Do progesterone creams absorb? My doctor told me you can bathe in the cream without absorbing any.
Progesterone creams definitely do absorb through the skin. This notion that they do not absorb is due to blood test results showing no (or very little) increase in progesterone levels after using the cream. When the cream is applied the progesterone is absorbed through the skin and once it enters the blood stream it binds itself to red blood cell membranes so it can travel throughout the blood stream. When blood tests are taken they are centrifuged to remove all the red blood cells along with all the progesterone attached to it before it is tested. Thus progesterone does not show up accurately in blood tests when given in creams. Saliva testing on the other hand picks up a definite increase in progesterone levels after only a couple of hours of using the cream.
My doctor told me that bioidentical hormones do not work. Is this true?
Definitely not. Bioidentical hormones have successfully treated hundreds of thousands of women world wide for a variety of complaints such as menopause, PMS and osteoporosis to name a few. Unfortunately there have been a couple research studies published which show bioidentical progesterone is unable to treat hot flushes, night sweats and other estrogen deficient symptoms. It should be no surprise that progesterone is unable to treat estrogen deficient symptoms as they are two separate hormones with different physiological activity. If estrogen is deficient it makes sense to treat with estrogen - not progesterone. The studies should have been designed to use progesterone to treat progesterone deficient symptoms – make sense? However many inadequately informed doctors view these studies and conclude that these hormones do not work.
My doctor told me that these sex hormones are not registered by the TGA and therefore dangerous?
The hormone combinations used in IBHRT (eg. BIEST, TRIEST, BIEST/Progesterone combinations) have not been registered by the TGA as a combination product. The truth is that being natural hormones pharmaceutical companies legally cannot patent these hormones. If they cannnot patent these hormones they do not develop these combinations as they deem them unprofitable. If the pharmaceutical companies do not pay to have these hormone combinations registered then the TGA will not register them. The fact that these combinations are not registered does not make them unsafe. In fact all three bioidentical estrogens (estriol, estradiol,estrone), progesterone and testosterone have all been individually approved for human use by the Therapeutics Goods Administration (TGA). All these hormones individual monographs all appear in the US and Brittish Pharmacopoiea's which are considered to be the medical industries bibel's and therefore accepted as safe medical treatments by the experts. Many smaller studies show the safety and effectiveness of these hormone combinations. A long term study is currently underway with impressive preliminary results. Hundreds of thosands of women are currently using these combinations world wide with an impressive record.
It puzzels us why some doctors prefer to prescribe synthetic or horse urine derived hormones which have been proven to be unsafe (but still registered by the TGA) putting their patients at risk and of which there is no normal physiological levels. Instead they could be using bioidentical hormones which have been produced by the human body for your entire life and which are maintained at normal physiological levels. Logically, using these natural hormone combinations at natural levels and ratios, mimicking mother natures design must surely be a safer and more natural alternative!
Should I have my hormone levels tested? If so, is blood or saliva tests more accurate?
There is still a lot of controversy regarding the accuracy and validity of the various testing methods available. We encourage our patients to have their levels tested, preferably using saliva analysis, however we still consider blood analysis better than nothing at all even though they might not be 100% accurate. We understand that many doctors are very resistant to order saliva tests and in such cases blood tests will suffice. A complete hormone analysis will help determine all hormone deficiencies so all are dealt with appropriately.
How do I get started on Bioidentical hormones?
We recommend that initially you should either see your doctor or contact us to arrange to have a complete saliva hormone analysis in order to identify all hormone deficiencies or imbalances. Using the laboratory results in conjunction with any signs and symptoms you may have a starting formula will be designed specifically for your individual requirements. If your doctor is unaware of bioidentical hormones or how to prescribe them they may contact us for a comprehensive information pack on how to prescribe these hormones or alternatively we can recommend dosages to your doctor based on your test results and symptoms. After being on the hormones for about one month another set of lab tests should be done to ensure all hormones are within the normal physiological levels and doses fine tuned if necessary.
How do I get off synthetic hormones and onto Bioidentical hormones?
Contact us and we can calculate an equivalent dose of Bioidentical hormones compared to what you are currently taking. Then you need to get a prescription for your new hormones.
Can I get Bioidentical Hormones from any Pharmacy?
No. Only compounding pharmacies have the equipment and knowledge how to formulate these hormones correctly. Our laboratory is equipped to mail these products out Australia wide, just click on how to order.
What are troches and do you recommend them?
Troches are lozenges which are usually held between the cheek and gum and allowed to dissolve. Many compounding chemists are promoting troches as a dosage form that bypasses the stomach and liver, however estimates indicate that approximately 50 to 70% of the lozenge is actually swallowed, which inevitably encounters the stomach and liver anyway so their claims are inaccurate. The hormones are also rapidly absorbed into the bloodstream resulting in very high serum levels an hour or so after taking it and then being rapidly metabolized bringing serum levels back to near baseline within four to five hours. These great fluctuations in blood levels throughout the day are less than ideal. The hormones also have a bitter taste which cannot be effectively masked with sweeteners and flavors and they take up to 30 minutes to dissolve in the mouth. It is for these reasons we only recommend these as a last resort.
Will these hormones make me gain weight?
Hormonal weight gain is due to an imbalance between estrogen and progesterone and a possible deficiency in thyroid hormones. If you are estrogen dominant you may easily gain weight and find it very difficult to lose weight. This can be overcome by taking progesterone. When these hormones are given as part of HRT they should be properly balanced so no weight gain will occur.
I am allergic to many ingredients found in most capsules and creams. Can you help?
All our products are formulated so they do not contain any artificial colors, flavors or sweeteners which are responsible for a lot of allergies. We only use natural essential oils as flavors, the natural sweetener stevia and if any colors are required for identification purposes we only use Vitamin B2. We avoid the use of colored capsules, artificial flavor concentrates and artificial sweeteners. All our creams are formulated to avoid all waxes, parafins and other chemicals that may cause you harm. Let us know of any allergies you may have and we can formulate your product without those ingredients. For more information on our low allergy options - click here.
Do you recommend Armour Thyroid (thyroid extract)?
In most cases no however there are certain circumstances where patinets do better on the extract. Desiccated porcine thyroid extract has been promoted else where as a natural thyroid supplement. Our major concerns with using thyroid extracts are these pig derived hormones are not bioidentical, that is, they are not structurally identical to human hormones. Another major problem is the variation in the concentrations of T 3 and T 4 and the ratio of these two differ significantly between different batches. This means that the dose of T 3 and T 4 will be different with each new batch which is particularly concerning. Research has shown that desiccated porcine extract “was not in a composition close enough to human chemicals to achieve stable levels”. Stability issues have also been risen with regards to thyroid extracts.
Our Compounding laboratory makes capsules containing both bioidentical T3 and T4 in the right ratios at the same doses every time. In certain cases such as hashimotos patients may do better on non-bioidentical hormones as they can elicit less of an immune response.