The Pitfalls of Using the Term 'Bioidentical' in Hormone Therapy

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The term 'bioidentical' in hormone therapy originates from alternative medicine and is used for marketing, but it has pitfalls. Bioidentical hormones are not necessarily safer as they are chemically the same as the hormones in the body, which can contribute to health risks like breast cancer. Additionally, true bioidentical hormones should have the same ratio of carbon isotopes, which is often not the case. Transdermal estradiol is recommended over pills for menopausal hormone therapy due to its proven effectiveness and lower risk of complications, as supported by menopause societies.

Episode #270. If you’ve ever been confused by the sea of women’s health misinformation, you’re not alone. Join me as I sit down with Dr Jen Gunter, internationally celebrated OB/GYN and New York Times bestselling author, to dispel disinformation with evidence.

We address everything from yeast infections to birth control, compounded hormones, and menopausal hormone therapy. This isn’t just a health masterclass, but also a critical conversation about the misinformation and disinformation that is pervasive in women's health discussions: essential listening for anyone who cares about promoting an equitable health landscape.

Specifically, we discuss:

Intro (00:00)
Dr. Jen Gunter on Gynecology (2:56)
Misinformation vs disinformation (8:11)
Western medicine and the truth about supplements (15:16)
Tips for discerning online information (20:43)
Yeast infection and how to really treat it (29:42)
Can diet treat yeast infection? (38:04)
Is a vaginal microbiome test necessary? (44:52)
Understanding menstruation and contraception (47:47)
Challenges for women in their mid-30s after birth control (54:00)
Menopause, hormone testing, and symptom assessment (1:01:42)
The grandmother hypothesis (1:07:13)
Hormone therapy (1:10:32)
Bioidentical hormones vs. what's recommended (1:18:02)
Alternative treatments for hot flashes (1:26:52)
What men need to know and how they can help (1:32:42)
Outro (1:39:38)

Connect with Dr Jen Gunter on Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok. For more comprehensive information, you can read Dr Gunter’s two books, The Vagina Bible and The Menopause Manifesto. Head to her blog, https://vajenda.substack.com/, for frequent newsletters and articles.

Optimise your health with InsideTracker’s biomarker analysis. Get exclusive access to InsideTracker’s new ApoB test, and a significant discount at insidetracker.com/simon.

Looking for more episodes centred around women’s health? Listen to past episodes on this topic here.

Enjoy, friends.

Simon

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Simon Hill, MSc, BSc (Hons)

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