Hi, I apologize if this question has already been answered (just can't seem to find it).

I wasn't planning on doing the BO plunge for quite some time, but foreknowledge would be helpful in pre-planning. Anyone know if using BO (low dosage) while on HRT is safe/smart?

After my body has acclimated to the synthetic hormones, was thinking of utilizing BO alongside and over the long-term, to make things more permanent. If it's not a good idea, than will have to consider doing a proper BO program later on.

Thank you in advance for your time and input.

I would very much like to get some information on this as well.

My understanding is, if your on a doctor subscribed HRT regime, your best staying away from something like BO or even PM. It could end up skewing your blood work.

Lotus, might be able to shine a better light on this.

I think Lotus would say that both would probably be too much (depending on synthetic daily dose), only because a set number of receptors can only handle so much. Kind of like an egg container. It only holds 12… give it any additional and they won’t be secure- just slide off and be wasted. And in this case can cause extra stress on your system as well.

BO on HRT is a definite no. PM might be useful in some situations, and PC if whatever HRT they have you on doesn't include a bio-identical progesterone would almost certainly be helpful. Most HRT does NOT include bio-identical progesterone, and rely solely on the slight progestin-like behavior of either cypro or spiro, depending on which they have you on. Progestins are known to increase cancer risks, and having a bio-identical progesterone compete with it is known to decrease the associated risks. The main reason it's not more frequently prescribed to MtF cases is because it's just not "tradition". And the doctors who all do MtF work are very much into the traditions of the field. Understandably, the risks of playing around with that stuff are quite high, and proven methods are low enough risk that they don't care to take the chances that any newer methods might increase instead of decrease any associated risks. Progesterone is proven very safe and effective in post-menopausal HRT, however, so I think it shouldn't be a problem to add to an otherwise proven MtF HRT.

The reason PM MIGHT be useful in some situations is that it triggers slightly differently at the receptors. There are in fact 3 different known receptors for estrogens, ER-alpha, beta, and theta. Same as for androgens, actually. Human estradiol which is what is used in HRT triggers predominantly the alpha receptors for estrogens, estriol the theta, and the phyto-estrogens found only in PM triggers the betas. When estradiol DOES trigger a beta receptor, cancer risks escalate. Taking PM can reduce that risk. This is only really possibly useful if they have you on a very high dose of estradiol, however. Most regimes use doses low enough this is unlikely to be a case.

BO, OTOH, is significantly more similar to human estrogens, and therefore carry the same risk patterns as human estrogens. I would not ever encourage anyone to take both at the same time in supplemental form.