New Research Confirms Compounded Bioidentical HRT Improves Quality of Life | Levitas

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New Research Confirms Compounded Bioidentical HRT Improves Quality of Life

A newly published, peer-reviewed study followed menopausal women through compounded bioidentical hormone therapy — and the results go well beyond what most patients expect from hormone balancing.

By Dr Naomi Fielding Menopause & Hormone Health Clinician 6 min read

Compounded bioidentical hormone replacement therapy (BHRT) has long divided opinion — championed by the clinicians who prescribe it, questioned by those who want more robust data behind it. A new study, carried out at the Marion Gluck Clinic and published in the peer-reviewed Journal of Prescribing Practice, adds exactly that: clinical evidence, not just clinical experience.

The research team — Dr Vera Martins, Nick Legroux, Dr Monica Lascar and Dr Marion Gluck — followed menopausal patients who were prescribed personalised doses of bioidentical hormones such as estradiol, progesterone and DHEA, each tailored to the individual rather than delivered as a one-size-fits-all regimen. The question they set out to answer was simple: does hormone balancing, done this way, actually change how women feel day to day?

The results: a 52% improvement in quality of life, and every one of the 21 menopause symptoms assessed measurably eased.

Headline outcomes from the Marion Gluck Clinic study, published in the Journal of Prescribing Practice.

How the study was run

Patients were assessed before starting BHRT and again at follow-up, using the Greene Climacteric Scale — a validated, widely used questionnaire built specifically to track menopausal symptoms. Because it's a standardised tool, the results can be compared meaningfully against other published research, not just against the clinic's own patients.

Twenty-one separate symptoms were scored, spanning sleep, mood, concentration, physical sensations and vasomotor symptoms such as hot flushes and night sweats. Every single one showed a statistically significant improvement after treatment.

The symptoms that shifted the most

Night sweating — improved in 75% of patients
Feeling tense or nervous — improved in 74% of patients
Difficulty sleeping — improved in 64% of patients
Irritability — improved in 63% of patients
Feeling tired or lacking energy — improved in 53% of patients
Loss of interest in sex — improved in 47% of patients

Every other symptom on the scale improved too, just by smaller margins. The chart below shows how the proportion of patients reporting each symptom “quite a bit” or “extremely” fell after treatment.

Approximate share of patients reporting each symptom “quite a bit” or “extremely” on the Greene Climacteric Scale, before and after treatment.

The pattern that emerges from other independent studies backs this up: bioidentical hormones appear to carry fewer side effects than their non-bioidentical counterparts, alongside a lower associated risk of breast cancer and cardiovascular disease.

Why bioidentical, specifically?

“Bioidentical” means the hormone is molecularly identical to the one your own body produces — estradiol, progesterone or DHEA, compounded and dosed to your individual levels rather than delivered as a fixed, standardised dose. That personalisation is exactly what this study was testing, and it's the same principle behind every BHRT plan built at Levitas.

What this means in practice

None of this suggests BHRT is right for everyone, or that it replaces a proper clinical conversation. What it does confirm is that, prescribed carefully and monitored closely, hormone balancing can meaningfully change how a woman experiences menopause — not just on paper, but in her sleep, her mood, her energy and her day-to-day comfort.

The same principle the Marion Gluck Clinic study tested — personalised dosing, reassessed over time.

Levitas Clinic works in partnership with the Marion Gluck Clinic, and our clinicians train through their academy to stay aligned with research like this as it's published. It's part of why we prescribe BHRT the way we do: personalised from the outset, and reviewed rather than left on autopilot.

The study: Martins, Legroux, Lascar & Gluck, Journal of Prescribing Practice, 2020.

Supporting research on bioidentical hormones: Fitzpatrick et al., 2000; Simon et al., 2019; Leonetti et al., 1999; Ruiz et al., 2011.

On relative safety: Fournier et al., 2005; Fournier et al., 2007; Holtorf, 2009.

Speak with one of our doctors about BHRT

If menopause symptoms are affecting your day-to-day life, a personalised assessment can determine whether compounded bioidentical hormones could help you feel like yourself again.

Book a consultation Call 01483 452 555

Dr Naomi Fielding

Menopause & Hormone Health Clinician, Levitas Clinic

Dr Fielding leads Levitas Clinic’s menopause and hormone health programmes across London and Surrey, working in partnership with the Marion Gluck Clinic to deliver personalised, closely monitored bioidentical HRT.

This article is for general information and does not constitute medical advice. It summarises independently published, peer-reviewed research; individual results vary and bioidentical HRT is not suitable for everyone. Compounded bioidentical hormones should only be prescribed and monitored by a qualified clinician following an individual assessment. Please speak to a Levitas clinician about what is right for you.

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