There’s been a lot of discussion as of late when it comes to bioidentical hormones, and whether or not you should be taking them instead of standard hormone replacement therapy. We’ve gone through dozens of reports and come up with 5 essential, doctor-recommended facts you need to know before doing your own research. By keeping these wise words in mind, you’ll make a much better decision.

#5: Bioidentical Hormone Therapy is Fundamentally Different.

The fundamental difference to remember is that a bioidentical hormone therapy plan uses hormones that are chemically identical to those hormones produced in the human body. Above and beyond all the other information that’s out there, this is the key fact — these hormones are exactly the same as those your body produces.

#4: FDA Approval is Not Universal.

The FDA doesn’t have a system in place to approve compounded hormones when they’re made by a special type of pharmacy. The reason this system doesn’t exist is simple — the hormones are ‘customized’ to each person, so the FDA would have to sit down and approve literally hundreds of thousands of hormone replacement therapy solutions every year.

#3: Accreditation Agencies are Crucial.

Because of this inability to approve individual compound hormones, it’s necessary to ensure that you are getting your hormone replacement therapy from a pharmacy that practices great quality control and has been fully confirmed and vetted by your doctor. Check the Pharmaceutical Compounding Accreditation Board for another outside source.

#2: Oprah is Taking Them!

Part of the reason for the explosion in interest recently is due to Oprah Winfrey — she revealed on her show that she was feeling “off” due to menopause, and started a bioidentical hormone therapy program. According to her, it made a world of difference. As a result, there are a lot of people online looking to exploit this newfound interest — make sure you’re dealing with a reputable, trustworthy expert.

#1: Keep A Balanced Approach For the Best Results.

In the end, using bioidentical hormones might help you fight the problems of menopause, but nothing is ever a 100%, catch-all solution. As long as you go into this not expecting all your problems to be solved instantly (there’s no magic pill), you’ll be able to make a rational decision.

Looking for a reliable voice on bioidentical hormones and hormone replacement therapy? Get real, honest answers from one of America’s most widely-quoted bioidentical hormone therapy doctors on the subject, Dr. Erika Schwartz.