Side Effects of Bioidentical Hormones

Bioidentical hormones are essentially the same hormones a woman's body makes during her childbearing years, like estrogen, progesterone and androgen. Much like their natural counterparts, they are used as a form of hormone replacement therapy to treat the symptoms that often accompany menopause.

Dependency

• These hormones can cause a physical dependency. It doesn't elicit addiction or habit-forming behavior; it simply means that the bioidentical hormones can create a state in which the body begins to need them.

Fatigue

• Some women using of bioidentical hormones as a form of hormone replacement therapy may begin to experience fatigue. It may be mild to moderate, sometimes even severe.

Weight Gain

• Another potential side effect of bioidentical hormones is some gain in weight, typically in the abdominal region, the thighs and buttocks.

Hair Loss

• On occasion, a woman taking a bioidentical hormone may suffer from some hair loss, though she will usually regain any hair lost after her treatment is complete.

Depression

• Depending on her predisposition to this condition, a woman may also suffer from some level of depression due to the use of bioidentical hormones.

Facial Hair

• One of the more troubling side effects of bioidentical hormones is the growth of hair on the face. Much like hair loss, this growth will frequently subside once the treatment has ceased.