Histamine Well Podcast: Exploring Histamine, Methylation & Holistic Health
The Histamine Well is a podcast for health practitioners and patients alike, bridging the gap between complex science and practical understanding. With a focus on histamine, methylation, and related health topics, the show translates advanced concepts into actionable insights for practitioners while empowering patients with accessible, evidence-based knowledge.
Your host, Joanne Kennedy, is a naturopath and expert in histamine intolerance, MTHFR, and methylation. She is also an author and runs an online group coaching program for practitioners and students on histamine and methylation. Jo loves breaking down complex science into clear, easy-to-understand language, offering practical tips and the latest insights to empower you to take charge of your health.
Histamine Well Podcast: Exploring Histamine, Methylation & Holistic Health
Q&A. Are Bioidentical Hormones Actually Natural?
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Are bioidentical hormones truly “natural”—or is that just clever marketing?
In this Q&A Clarity Session of The Histamine Well Podcast, Joanne breaks down one of the most common and misunderstood questions in women’s health: what bioidentical hormones actually are, where they come from, and how they differ from both synthetic hormones and herbal remedies.
Many women exploring hormone replacement therapy (HRT) feel uncertain about what they’re putting into their bodies—especially when terms like “natural,” “plant-based,” and “bioidentical” are used interchangeably. In this episode, we clarify the science in a simple, grounded way so you can make informed decisions about your health.
You’ll learn:
- What “bioidentical hormones” really means
- How hormones derived from wild yam and soy are processed
- The difference between plant compounds and human-identical hormones
- Why bioidentical doesn’t mean “straight from nature”
- How these hormones interact with your body
- Common misconceptions about HRT and hormone therapy
If you’ve ever struggled with hormone imbalance, menopause symptoms, or felt worse on hormone therapy, this episode will help you understand what’s actually happening beneath the surface.
This is essential listening for women navigating perimenopause, menopause, or anyone questioning whether hormone therapy is right for them.
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Hi everyone. Today's question is, are bioidentical hormones actually natural? And this question comes up a lot, especially from women who understandably are cautious and don't wanna take anything that feels unnatural or overly synthetic. So I think it's really important to clarify what we're actually meaning when we say bioidentical hormones. Bioidentical hormones are typically derived from plant sources. Most commonly wild yam or soy. Now, wild Yam is a plant that's been used in herbal medicine for a long time. Traditionally, it's been used for things like hormonal symptoms, particularly in women. Things like menstrual pain or menopausal symptoms. You might have heard of things like wild yam creams, which are often marketed for hormone balance. Soy is a bit different. Soy contains compounds called phytoestrogens. And phytoestrogens are plant compounds that have a weak oesterogen like effect in the body. They can bind to oestrogen receptors, but they're much, much weaker than our own oestrogen. So both Wild Yam and soy contain these plant-based compounds that have some relationship to hormones. But they're not actually human hormones themselves, obviously. And this is the key point. When we talk about bioidentical hormones, we're not talking about taking wild yam or soy in their natural form and using that as hormone therapy. What happens is that these compounds from the plants, wild yam and soy are used as a starting material. And then they're processed in labs and converted into a hormone that is chemically identical to what your body produces, like estrogen or progesterone. So the final hormone is identical to your own hormones, and that's really what a bioidentical means. So in that sense, they are very much aligned with the body because they match what your body naturally makes. But they're not natural in the sense that they're straight from a plant and used as is like in herbal medicine, they've been carefully converted into something your body can actually recognize and use properly. And I think that distinction is really helpful because it allows women to understand that bioidentical hormones are not synthetic in the traditional sense. They're designed to replicate your own hormones as closely as possible. So thank you for joining me. I hope you found this episode beneficial. Be sure to subscribe to the histamine well so you don't miss an episode. Leave a review and you can also share this episode with someone who could benefit. If you have any questions you'd like answered. Or have a topic you'd like me to discuss, please go to my website, joanne kennedy naturopathy.com, where you can provide us with that information. Until next time, take care and be well.