Lara Briden - The Period Revolutionary
Leading the change to better periods and hormones
Bioidentical hormones are hormones that are molecularly identical to human hormones. Synonymous with body-identical.
Progestins such as drospirenone, levonorgestrel, or medroxyprogesterone are not progesterone.
That’s because progesterone is not a generic term like estrogen. Instead, progesterone refers only to the hormone made by the corpus luteum or taken as oral micronized progesterone.
Bioidentical or body-identical hormones are estradiol and progesterone, which are molecularly identical to human hormones. Most (not all) modern menopause hormone therapy is bioidentical. Keep reading for a list of brands.
The difference between “bioidentical” and “body-identical” is that body-identical is the preferred conventional term, while bioidentical is the term traditionally applied to customised hormone formulas dispensed by a compounding pharmacist when compounding was the only way to obtain such hormones.
According to a Lancet review, menstrual migraines are more severe than migraines at other times of the cycle.
Possible drivers of menstrual migraines include estrogen withdrawal at the end of the cycle, plus an estrogen-dependent release of prostaglandins and histamine. Body-identical progesterone may help to shelter the brain from estrogen withdrawal and reduce the frequency and intensity of menstrual migraines.
Body-identical or bioidentical progesterone can treat women’s health conditions such as PCOS, PMDD, migraines, endometriosis, adenomyosis, and perimenopause.
Progesterone is called oral micronized progesterone and requires a doctor’s prescription. Depending on your country, brand names include Prometrium, Utrogestan, Teva, and Famenita. Alternatively, progesterone cream is available over-the-counter in some countries and can help with mild symptoms but is generally not as effective as progesterone capsules.
Here’s what you need to know.