Bioidentical Hormones in Dubai: What Patients Should Know
Book Consultation
Dr. Felix Lucian Happich
MD, MHBA
In short
Overview
The word bioidentical is used for two different things, and only one of them has any evidence behind it. Knowing which one you are being offered is the whole question.
Direct Answer
Regulated bioidentical hormones are licensed products with the same molecular structure as your own. 17-beta oestradiol and micronised progesterone are both bioidentical, and both are standard first choice treatment.
Compounded bioidentical hormones are custom mixed by a pharmacy with doses steered by repeated hormone testing. The Menopause Society, ACOG and the Endocrine Society all advise against them.
When compounded products were tested, potency ranged from 67.5 to 268 per cent of what the label claimed.
Who This Applies To
- Women told that bioidentical means safer, without being told which kind
- Women currently on a compounded cream, gel, lozenge or pellet
- Women who have been told licensed hormone therapy is synthetic
- Women being asked to pay for saliva hormone testing to adjust doses
Option Comparison / Decision Criteria
as a patch or gel, which avoids the liver first pass and carries lower clot and stroke risk than tablets
, 200 mg for 12 days a month or 100 mg daily, taken at bedtime
combining 1 mg oestradiol with 100 mg progesterone, both bioidentical, which protects the womb lining and had no meaningful effect on weight or blood pressure over a year
Why an In-Person Physician Review Matters
What the expert bodies actually say Three points from the Endocrine Society statement, which the other bodies echo.
Approved oestrogen and progestin formulations exist in every category, so there is no gap for compounded products to fill No randomised trial has shown compounded bioidentical therapy to be effective or safe for menopausal symptoms Content, dose, quality and sterility are not subject to regulatory oversight, and when tested, potencies and absorption were highly variable The signal that should give pause Endometrial cancer rates in women aged 50 to 74 were stable from 1992 to 2002. After 2002 they rose by about 2.5 per cent a year, with a 10 per cent rise between 2006 and 2012. Over the same period compounded use rose while licensed combined products declined. That is an association rather than proof, but it is exactly the kind of signal regulation exists to catch, and inadequate endometrial protection is where compounded regimens most often fall short. Why endometrial protection is checked first on any switch Because hyperplasia can develop after as little as six months of oestrogen without adequate progesterone. If you still have a uterus, a progestogen is not optional. The form can change, the protection cannot. On saliva testing It is not used to steer treatment. Hormone therapy is dosed by symptoms, and saliva levels do not predict how well symptoms are controlled.
Frequently Asked Questions
The molecules do, and they are first choice treatment. 17-beta oestradiol and micronised progesterone are both bioidentical and both are prescribed here. The problem is with custom compounded mixtures, not with the molecules.
Because you cannot know what dose you have been taking. When compounded products were tested, potency ranged from 67.5 to 268 per cent of the label. A regulated equivalent gives you the same effect at a dose you can rely on.
Almost all of it, licensed or compounded, is made from plant precursors converted in a laboratory. They go through the same chemistry. The only common exception is conjugated equine oestrogen, which is not prescribed here.
Yes. A licensed capsule combines 1 mg 17-beta oestradiol with 100 mg micronised progesterone. Both are bioidentical, it protects the womb lining, and over a year it had no meaningful effect on weight or blood pressure.
Evidence
Where this information comes from
Every figure on this page is taken from the sources below. All of them are free to read, so you can check them yourself.
This page is general medical information and does not replace a personal consultation. Trial results are averages across large groups, not a prediction for any one person.