HRT Misconception #1 – All HRT is created equal.
We are kicking off our series with Tanya Manoni about hormone replacement therapy and the common misconceptions associated with this treatment. Tanya is one of our hormone experts at the pharmacy and you can schedule a consultation to see what HRT options are available specifically for you.
When I started in the HRT world 20 years ago, those of us in the BHRT world were sure to add the “B” before the “HRT.” I have noticed this “B” has fallen out of the HRT lingo, even at functional medicine and compounding seminars. I still find the distinction supremely important. That “B” stands for bio-identical. BHRT is Bio-identical hormone replacement therapy. These are hormones that are identical in molecular structure to those made by the human body. Therefore, these bio-identical hormones produce the same physiological response as hormones made by your very own body. The most well known bio-identical hormones are estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone. I bet if you are a man or woman over a certain age, you recognize those words. How about these words: equilin, ethinyl estradiol, megestrol acetate, norgestrel? These words describe synthetic estrogens and progestins. They kinda sorta bind to your body’s estrogen and progesterone receptors, amongst others, but why would you want “kinda sorta” when you could have the real deal, the exact hormone your body knows what to do with? Not to mention, one of the popular manufactured HRT medications is literally made from pregnant mare urine. Yes, you read that correctly, pregnant horse urine. “Conjugated Equine Estrogens'' is the chemical name for those lovely synthetic estrogens. So, yes, the “B” in “BHRT'' still matters, even if it’s now a silent B.
TANYA MANONI is a Chattanooga-native but earned her BS in chemistry and PharmD at the University of Utah. She brings with her years of experience in compounding and pharmacy corporate management. Tanya's professional interests include not only BHRT, women’s health, and dermatology, but also nutrition and fitness, in which she became interested while playing NCAA Division I college soccer. While living in Utah, Tanya earned her level 1 certification in avalanche search and rescue, and she continues to enjoy snowboarding, hiking, and mountain biking. She lives in Chattanooga with her husband and two kids, so you will find her running between soccer fields and dance studios in her free time.
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