Related Experiment Video
Updated: Apr 26, 2026

An In Vivo Estrogen Deficiency Mouse Model for Screening Exogenous Estrogen Treatments of Cardiovascular Dysfunction After Menopause
Published on: August 13, 2019
Risks and effectiveness of compounded bioidentical hormone therapy: a case series
Ruth Davis1, Pelin Batur, Holly L Thacker
11 Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine of Case Western University , Cleveland, Ohio.
Bioidentical hormone therapy (BHT) lacks sufficient evidence for safety and efficacy. Healthcare providers recommend FDA-approved treatments for menopausal symptom management due to safety concerns with BHT.
Area of Science:
- Gynecology
- Menopause Management
- Hormone Therapy
Background:
- The Women's Health Initiative publication altered menopause management approaches.
- Bioidentical hormone therapy (BHT) has gained media attention for symptom relief.
- Misconceptions regarding BHT risks and benefits are prevalent due to endorsements.
Observation:
- This article reviews evidence comparing BHT to conventional hormone therapy.
- Case studies from midlife women's clinics highlight BHT safety and efficacy concerns.
- Unexplained endometrial cancer cases were observed in healthy BHT users.
Findings:
- Current evidence is insufficient to support BHT's efficacy or safety.
- BHT poses potential safety risks, including links to endometrial cancer.
- Conventional hormone therapy and FDA-approved regimens offer established safety profiles.
Implications:
- Healthcare providers should exercise caution when considering BHT.
- The use of FDA-approved hormone therapy regimens is recommended for menopause management.
- Further research is needed to establish the safety and efficacy of BHT.
Related Concept Videos
Bioequivalence: Overview
Bioequivalence of Drugs: Drugs with Multiple Indications
Types of Biopharmaceutical Studies: Controlled and Non-Controlled Approaches
Non-controlled studies, commonly employed for initial exploration, lack a control group, rendering them susceptible to biases and external influences. In contrast,...
Drug Products: Biologics, Biosimilars and Interchangeables
Pharmaceutical Alternatives: Stability-Related Therapeutic Nonequivalence
Target Cell Response to Hormones
Notably, the cellular response can be regulated by altering the number of receptors expressed in the cell. For example, prolonged exposure to elevated hormone levels results in a gradual decline or down-regulation in the number of receptors for that specific hormone on the cell surface. Conversely, in response to low hormone levels, cells may use up-regulation, producing an...
