Featuring Dr. Bal Pawa, BPharm, MD

Video Title: Bioidentical Hormones & Hormone Replacement Duration: 1 minute, 24 seconds

Bioidentical hormones are hormones that are compounded and they are identical in molecular structure to your own body's hormones, and so they act in a similar fashion as your own hormones.

They'll attach to the receptor hormones in your body and behave in the same way as your hormones would, they're often synthesized from soy beans or yams, and they can be compounded or they're available as pharmaceutical grade prescription items.

It's very important that patients realize just because something is bioidentical that they assume that it's very safe. Bioidentical hormone therapy carries the same risk as traditional hormone therapy so it's very important to get an individual risk assessment with your physician.

The other important thing that you have to remember is finding a pharmacist who's qualified and knowledgeable to compound these prescriptions. Often estrogen and progesterone creams are compounded, and they're very effective in alleviating menopausal or peri menopausal symptoms.

So the bottom line is patients are often confused about bioidentical hormone therapy but it is a very effective means of using hormone therapy, as long as you find a physician and a pharmacist who are both qualified and knowledgeable in this area of medicine.

Presenter: Dr. Bal Pawa, Family Doctor, Vancouver, BC

Local Practitioners: Family Doctor