The American Medical Association (AMA) has now entered the debate over the value and safety of so-called "bioidentical" hormones.

In particular, the AMA focused on the plant-derived compounded hormone preparations touted by actress-turned-health advocate Suzanne Somers in her book Ageless: The Naked Truth About Bioidentical Hormones. In her best-selling book, Somers maintains that not only can these compounded products effectively treat menopausal symptoms like hot flashes and sleep problems, but also that they can effectively reverse the aging process.

The truth of the matter is that there is no real scientific evidence that bioidenticals are any safer than regular hormone preparations. These synthesized products also may have unique risks, not the least of which is the lack of quality control of the individual pharmacists who compound each dose.

The AMA requested that the FDA assess the purity of ingredients in these alternative compounds and mandate compounding pharmacies and manufacturers to report adverse events, just as pharmaceutical companies are required to do. The AMA also recommended that compounding pharmacies establish a registry of side effects associated with bioidenticals.

Advocates of these alternative hormone products claim the ingredients in bioidenticals are all "natural" plant products. Those concerned about these hormones argue that the essential ingredients for all hormone products are synthesized by a handful of laboratories worldwide. Big Pharma and compounding pharmacists get their products from the same sources. We will be hearing much more about this debate in the near future.