If you’re experiencing menopause symptoms like hot flashes, night sweats, mood changes, or vaginal dryness, you may have heard about “bioidentical hormones” as a possible solution. But before you choose this route, it’s important to separate marketing hype from medical fact.

Bioidentical Hormones (Pellet Injections) are not Useful for Menopause Symptoms

Bioidentical hormones refers to hormones that are chemically identical to the ones naturally produced in your body. While the term sounds reassuring and natural, it’s often used more as a marketing tactic than a meaningful medical distinction. In reality, many FDA-approved hormone therapy products also contain bioidentical hormones, but they are regulated, tested, and proven for safety and efficacy.

Pellet Injections: Not FDA-Approved

One popular method of delivering bioidentical hormones is through pellet injections implanted under the skin for menopause symptoms. Unlike regulated hormone therapy options, these pellet treatments are not FDA-approved. That means they have not undergone rigorous testing for safety, dosing consistency, or effectiveness.

The pellet injections that are placed into the buttocks contain a mixture of hormones that are marketed as being “bioidentical.” In addition, they claim to be free of side effects and custom designed for each woman’s needs. Then there’s the goal of improving all aspects of her life, including menopause symptoms.

What are these pellets about and how have they come into mainstream without regulation? We know that navigating this information on the internet is confusing. And unfortunately, you may also see the same confusing information about pellets in your doctor’s office.

With this in mind, here are a few tips to help you sort through some of this misinformation.

Custom-Compound Hormones are not FDA Approved for Use

Because of a loophole in the law, these hormones are exempt from the Food and Drug Administration requirement to prove safety and efficacy. In essence, this means that the marketers of these injections can say whatever they want.

Moreover, due to the lack of what’s called “Phase IV Reporting” of side effects, there is no systematic collection of adverse reactions to these powerful hormone concoctions. This leads to extreme product bias. Why? Because the marketers don’t have to report adverse reactions, and people may assume that these treatments must be safe.

In short, the manufacturer of these treatments have nearly no regulations imposed upon what they can say their product will do. Plus, they are not obligated to report to you any side effects or even long-term effects of their treatments. So, you, the consumer, will take all of the risk.

“Bioidentical” Has Hollow Meaning

Patients who request bioidentical hormones for menopause have been asked what the term “bioidentical” means to them. The question is asked to help the gynecologist better understand the patient’s wishes. Most of the time, the patient is referring to hormones that are chemically-identical to the ones that are naturally found in a woman’s body. So, this means the patient wants a menopause treatment that is as natural as possible.

There is a wide range of FDA-approved hormonal medications. As such, it easy to provide menopausal hormones in FDA-approved forms that meet the criteria of being “bioidentical” hormones. Unfortunately, there’s an assumption that all custom-compounded hormones are “bioidentical”. And that all FDA approved hormones are not. Neither of these assumptions is correct.

If It Seems Too Good To Be True – It’s Probably Not True

So, here’s the bottom line. When you’re reading all of the testimonials about these pellet injections from satisfied customers, think for a moment and ask yourself this. Can one single medication make everything that’s wrong in your life right? Now, consider this. Can one single medication provide:

• Lowered risk for Alzheimer’s disease, breast cancer and osteoporosis.
• Lowered risk for Alzheimer’s disease, breast cancer and osteoporosis.
• Reversal of the course of heart disease, diabetes, obesity, fibromyalgia, arthritis and high cholesterol.

These points were found on the book jacket of a pellet doctor, so buyer beware.

Pellets are for Rabbits

Save your pellets to feed to your rabbits. When considering bioidentical hormones for menopause, be cautious about unregulated pellet injections and marketing claims. Talk with a trusted OBGYN at Riverwalk Women’s Health who can guide you toward proven, evidence-based options that prioritize your safety and long-term health.

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