ruth901
Menopause expert explainsWhat bioidentical hormones can do – and what they can’t!
Bioidentical hormones can be taken in capsule form, but also as a gel or spray, for example.
Getty Images/Zinkevych
And at some point everything is different.
The female body changes, the hormonal balance is disturbed – with various complaints. Close your eyes and through? That doesn't have to be the case. Dr. Judith Bildau explains how therapy with bioidentical hormones during menopause works, what expectations are realistic and whether there are any risks.
What exactly are bioidentical hormones?
“Bioidentical hormones are hormones that are produced in a laboratory but are exactly the same as those in our body. They are often called nature-identical,” explains gynecologist Dr. Judith Bildau in an RTL interview.
The basic building block of bioidentical hormones is diosgenin, which in turn comes from the yam. The hormones are used in gynecology and especially in the treatment of menopausal symptoms. “Here we mainly work with bioidentical estrogen, progesterone and testosterone.”
Reading tip: Premenopause? Perimenopause? Menopause? This is what the terms mean!
When can you take bioidentical hormones and what do they do?
According to the gynecologist, the combination of bioidentical progesterone, estrogen and possibly also testosterone can be successful Menopausal symptoms can be alleviated by replacing hormones that the body has previously produced in sufficient quantities.
But also in the pregnancy or for the treatment of PMS Bioidentical hormones – in this case micronized progesterone – can be used. They are taken in the form of creams, sprays, capsules or suppositories.
Reading tip: The right care during menopause – what your skin really needs now!
Do bioidentical hormones keep us young and wrinkle-free?
Even though we probably all wish we could look as wrinkle-free as some stars at the age of 50: “The primary aim of therapy with bioidentical hormones should not be to remain wrinkle-free”says Bildau.
The goal of bioidentical hormones, however, is different: “They serve to treat various complaints that women can suffer from in different phases of life.”
However, the expert also says, many studies show that bioidentical hormones have both have a preventive effect on bones and the cardiovascular system as well as on skin and hair.
What's wrong with the criticism of bioidentical hormones? Can they be harmful?
Important for all the – very understandable – wishes to stay fit and symptom-free even during the perimenopause: “Bioidentical hormones should be viewed as drug therapy and not as lifestyle products”warns Bildau. “Nevertheless, they offer us great options for hormonal problems and also have a preventive effect against various age-related diseases.”
According to the expert, bioidentical hormones have various advantages over synthetic hormones: Among other things, estrogen, which is administered as a gel through the skin, does not increase the risk of thrombosis and embolism, as does the synthetic estrogen in contraceptive pills.
“Even the big one Fear of breast cancer is not justified“, says Bildau. Good to know: “The risk of breast cancer even seems to decrease when estrogen is administered alone,” writes the expert in her book “Get out of the hormone carousel.”
Reading tip: Many women feel insecure! Do hormone replacement therapies increase the risk of cancer?
The increased risk from combination therapies is comparable to that of women who drink a glass of wine a day, are overweight or do little physical exercise. It is important that therapy with bioidentical hormones for menopausal symptoms is started early. In addition, women suffering from hormone receptor-positive breast cancer cannot use bioidentical hormones systemically.
