Bioidentical Estrogen
Estrogen is a hormone produced by the human body in both men and women but primarily found in more significant concentrations within a woman. Estrogen is a natural hormone that is naturally released from the ovaries in a woman to aid in reproduction and facilitates a female’s transition into puberty. The hormone estrogen is also responsible for the following:
Sexual development during and into puberty
Promotes and controls the rate of growth of the uterine lining during a woman’s menstrual cycle
Estrogen controls the rate of growth of the uterine lining during a healthy pregnancy
Increases breast tissue in the female body during pregnancy and puberty
Aids in controlling the healthy development of bone density and a standard metabolic rate.
Menopause often brings a significant decrease in the release of the hormone estrogen from the ovaries. Women have turned to bioidentical estrogen hormone replacement therapy to curb the lost hormone leading up to menopause and during the transition.
Does It Matter What Type Of Estrogen You Use When Taking Bioidentical Hormones?
There are forms of estrogen therapy available such as Pills, Skin patches, Gels, Suppositories, etc. The best type of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) depends on women’s health, their symptoms, personal preference, and what they require out of the treatment.
Estrogen Pills
The most common form of estrogen replacement therapy (ERT) is an oral medication. Examples of oral ERT medications include conjugated estrogens (Premarin), estradiol (Estrace), and Estriol. Be sure to follow your doctor’s instructions for proper dosing. Most estrogen pills are taken once a day, on an empty stomach. Some medications may have more complicated dosing regimens.
Estrogen pills can be an effective treatment for menopause symptoms and can also help to lower the risk of osteoporosis. While there are newer ways of getting ERT, oral estrogen medicines are the best-studied type of estrogen therapy. These can easily be found in pharmacies.
Estrogen Skin Patches
Skin patches are usually worn on the lower stomach, under the waistline. The patch needs to be changed once or twice a week, according to the instructions.
There are several types of estrogen patches available, including Alora, Climara, Estraderm, and Vivelle-Dot. There are also combination estrogen and progestin patches, such as Climara Pro and Combipatch. Menostar has a lower dose of estrogen than other patches and is only used for reducing the risk of osteoporosis. It does not help with other menopause symptoms.
This type of estrogen treatment has several advantages over oral therapy. For one, the patch is convenient. You can stick it on and not worry about having to take a pill each day.
Estrogen Cream, Gels, or Sprays
Estrogen gels, creams, and sprays offer another way of getting estrogen into your system. As with patches, this type of estrogen formulation is absorbed through the skin directly into the bloodstream. The specifics on how to apply these creams vary, although they are usually used once a day. Estrogel is applied on one arm, from the wrist to the shoulder. Estrasorb is applied to the legs. Evamist is applied to the arm. Topical estrogen creams are a safer option for people with liver and cholesterol problems than oral estrogen, as they are absorbed directly into the bloodstream through the skin.
Estrogen Vaginal Suppositories & Rings
There are several types of estrogen treatments that can be applied directly to the vaginal area. These treatments are generally for women who are troubled specifically by vaginal dryness, itchiness, and burning or pain during intercourse. Examples of such treatments include vaginal tablets (Imvexxy, Vagifem), creams (Estrace or Estradiol), and insertable rings (Estring or Femring). The dosing schedule for vaginal rings, inserts, tablets, and creams varies depending on the product. In general, vaginal rings need to be replaced every three months, while vaginal tablets are used daily for a couple of weeks and then only twice a week. Creams might be used daily, several times a week.
According to recent studies, treating vaginal symptoms of menopause with vaginal suppositories is more effective than other forms of estrogen therapy. The advantage of using vaginal suppositories is that they can relieve symptoms without exposing the entire body to high doses of estrogen.