No woman looks forward to menopause (except, perhaps, for the cessation of menses). The "change of life" brings with it hot flashes, night sweats, mood swings, sleep disturbances, and loss of libido. Menopausal women are often miserable, and those around them may suffer secondhand.
It's no wonder, then, that women seek relief from their symptoms. But since the Women's Health Initiative hormone replacement therapy (HRT) trials ended abruptly in 2002, menopausal women and their clinicians have abandoned conventional HRT in droves. That left a huge void: How could women ease their transition through menopause? What could clinicians offer that was safe and effective?
Into the gap rose bioidentical hormones. Touted by proponents as superior to their conventional HRT counterparts, bioidenticals have seen a surge in use for menopausal symptoms. But not everyone is convinced by these claims—nor by the expanded use of bioidenticals as a veritable "fountain of youth."
Are women succumbing to the allure of feeling younger and more vibrant in their later years? Or are we just waiting for the science to catch up with the not-so-conventional wisdom?