No, we advocate that you don’t stop your medications without medical supervision. When you make healthy lifestyle choices, you may be able to reverse some of your chronic diseases and you may not require medications that you have been using. Usually medications are gradually reduced and stopped under supervision while your condition is monitored.

We are here to help you achieve good health. When you change your lifestyle and optimize nutrients, your disease may reverse. We can help you reduce and stop your medications under supervision while your condition is monitored.

It depends upon how you are living currently and how willing or able you are to make the required changes. We will help you customize them to your need and readiness so that you don’t feel overwhelmed. You will be provided with the rationale and support needed for making the changes.

A toxin is a chemical or substance that, when present in the body, can cause injury to body tissues or impair the functioning of the system.
A toxin can be exogenous – that you ingest in food, through skin or inhale in your breath, or endogenous- that our body produces through metabolic processes.

A bio-identical hormone is identical on the molecular level (same structure) to an endogenous hormone (a hormone that is produced by the human body).

A synthetic hormone is manufactured with a molecular structure that is slightly different to an endogenous hormone (a hormone that is produced by the human body).

Since they have the same structure as what your body produces, they fit onto the receptors as your own hormones would. And when you use them, you know that they will give you a desirable (physiologically known) response. Bioidentical hormones have less undesirable side effects compared to synthetic hormones.

Yes and this is where a lot of confusion arises. Some hormones made by pharmaceutical companies have the same molecular structure as your endogenous hormones. E.g. Utrogestan is a bio-identical progesterone, estradot is a bio-identical estradiol.

The dose range and mode of delivery available in pharmaceutical bioidentical hormone is limited. For example, to control the symptoms, one may need 200 mgs of progesterone that is released slowly over the course of a day. This is not currently available in the pharmaceutical range.

We have two pharmacies that compound hormones in NZ, Optimus Healthcare and Compounding Labs. They have to comply with pharmacy regulations to meet safety standards.

Yes, pharmaceutical bio-identical hormones are fully subsidized by Pharmac in NZ, available at a prescription cost of $5.00 for 3 months’ supply. On the other hand, compounded bio-identical hormones are not subsidized and so the cost is to be paid by patients (unless they meet the special authority criteria).

No, in some situations, they have advantages.
Cost is a major benefit because they are subsidized by Pharmac in NZ. Synthetic progesterone/progestin, called Medroxyprogesterone acetate – MPA, is a cheaper alternative to bio-identical progesterone for cyclical progesterone therapy, for women who have heavy periods and cannot afford the bio-identical hormone. Also, contraception is only achieved with synthetic hormones.

They have more undesirable side effects compared to bio-identical hormones.
E.g. Medroxyprogesterone acetate – MPA (synthetic progesterone/progestin) increases breast cancer risk in menopausal women taking estrogen therapy. It should not be used in pregnancy.
Another example is synthetic progesterone, which causes bloating and weight gain, which is not experienced with bio-identical progesterone.

Two reasons: (1) People generally think that hormones manufactured by pharmaceutical companies cannot be bioidentical. This is not true. Utrogestan manufactured by a pharmaceutical company is body-identical progesterone; (2) It becomes even more confusing because in medical literature, the molecular difference of a hormone is not differentiated. EG even though utrogestan is a body-identical progesterone, the hand out included in the pack is for synthetic progestin.

Yes, many organs in your body have estrogen receptors from the uterus, breast, skin and bones to name a few. Once you have your uterus taken out, estrogen is still affecting the other organs. Women should be on oral progesterone to balance of the estrogen effect on other body organs.

hat idea comes from using progestin (synthetic progesterone). Progestin offers protection only to the uterus when taken while on estrogen. Once your uterus is gone, there is no point in taking progestin. Bio-identical progesterone on the other hand, protects your other organs from unopposed estrogen.

Both hormones are equally important for women’s reproductive function. Estrogen is released by maturing follicles in the ovary and it is at its peak in the first part of the menstrual cycle. Progesterone is released after ovulation by cells in the remaining sac and it peaks in the 2nd part of the menstrual cycle.
Since progesterone release depends on ovulation and ovulation can be irregular (especially in teenage, the perimenopause period, or if one is stressed), many women experience symptoms from lack of progesterone and too much estrogen.
Estrogen is a growth hormone. It helps in the growth of the endometrium (lining of the uterus), breast tissue etc. Progesterone is a maturing hormone; it comes along in the second part of the menstrual cycle, helps balance estrogen and checks growth and matures tissues. If there is not enough progesterone, the endometrium keeps growing, becomes friable and bleeds heavily or irregularly, breasts become sore and painful, or you may have headaches, etc.

Too much estrogen will make the endometrial (lining of uterus) thick and friable. Balancing it by taking progesterone will mature and strengthen it, so that it doesn’t bleed before period is due, and that the period is not heavy.