Bioidentical Hormone Therapy (BHRT) in Tooele
"Bioidentical" is one of the most misused words in medicine. It's often sold as a promise of safety. It isn't. It means the hormone molecule is structurally identical to the one your body produces. That matters, but it isn't the whole story. This page explains how we think about it.
What Bioidentical Means, and What It Doesn't
Estradiol, progesterone and testosterone made in a lab can be identical to what your body makes. That's a real advantage over hormones that are chemically different, because your receptors respond to them the way they were built to.
What bioidentical doesn't mean is compounded, natural, or automatically safe. Some bioidentical hormones are FDA-approved products. Others are mixed by compounding pharmacies. Both can be done well or badly, and a bioidentical hormone at the wrong dose, or without monitoring, is still the wrong treatment.
Progesterone and Progestins Are Not the Same Thing
This is the distinction that matters most, and it's widely blurred. Micronized progesterone is bioidentical. Synthetic progestins, such as medroxyprogesterone acetate, are different molecules that act on more than just the progesterone receptor. They were used in the WHI study arm that made headlines in 2002. Evidence since then, much of it observational, suggests the two behave differently in the body, including in the breast and cardiovascular system. Treating them as interchangeable has caused a great deal of confusion. We prescribe micronized progesterone.
Why We Test Blood, Not Saliva
Some clinics test hormones in saliva. We don't. Saliva levels swing widely and don't reliably match what's happening in your tissues, especially once you're using a cream. Serum testing is the standard, and it's what we dose against.
Why Creams and Injections, and Never Pellets
We chose these forms deliberately. Both can be adjusted at your next visit.
Pellets are implanted under the skin and release hormone for three to six months. They're convenient, but once a pellet is in, the dose is fixed. If it's too high, you live with the side effects until it wears off. Since getting a dose right almost always takes adjustment, we don't think a fixed, months-long dose serves patients well. We don't offer pellets and don't plan to.
Testosterone for Women: The Honest Version
Testosterone can help some women, particularly with low libido. There is currently no FDA-approved testosterone product for women in the United States, so any prescription for a woman is off-label, using a dose far lower than a man's. We tell you that upfront, explain the evidence, and monitor closely.
Underdosing Is a Problem Too
Most of the warnings about hormones are about too much. Too little is a quieter problem. A dose that's too low leaves symptoms in place, and patients conclude that hormone therapy doesn't work for them. We adjust based on how you feel and what your labs show until the plan is doing its job.
How Your Prescriptions Are Filled
Your hormones are prescribed for you individually and prepared by a licensed U.S. compounding pharmacy. Compounded medications are not FDA-approved, so we don't rely on the label alone. We recheck your labs to confirm the dose you're taking is doing what it should.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are bioidentical hormones natural? They're usually synthesized from plant compounds and then made identical to human hormones. "Natural" is a marketing word here. "Identical" is the accurate one.
Are they safer than conventional hormone therapy? Not as a rule. The specific hormone, dose, delivery and monitoring matter more than the label. Micronized progesterone versus synthetic progestins is the clearest real difference.
Why don't you offer pellets? Their dose can't be changed for months. We need to be able to adjust.
Do you test with saliva? No. Blood only.
Book a consultation · Call (435) 274-8897 · All hormone therapy services
