Compounded Meds Explained: Hormones, GLP-1s, and What’s Often Overlooked

Episode Overview

In this episode, I take a closer look at compounded medications—what they are, when they’re used, and the important nuances behind their growing popularity.

From hormone therapy and menopause care to semaglutide and GLP-1s, compounded meds are often described as personalized solutions. But these treatments exist in a regulatory gray area, with real variability in quality, safety, and effectiveness.

This episode is about cutting through confusion—without judgment or hype—and offering context to help you better understand your options.

What You’ll Learn

• What compounded medications are and when they’re used
• Why some women rely on them for hormone therapy, PCOS, progesterone intolerance, or GLP-1 access
• What’s different between FDA-approved medications and compounded versions
• Why terms like “bioidentical” can be misleading
• The impact of drug shortages, insurance limitations, and gaps in care

Why It Matters

Many people don’t realize that compounded medications aren’t FDA-approved—and that doesn’t automatically make them dangerous or ineffective. But it does mean they operate by different rules. This episode offers a grounded look at what’s happening behind the scenes and why these treatments are increasingly common in women’s health and beyond.

Resources

• Read article on Fear, misinformation, and pharmaceutical messianism in the promotion of compounded bioidentical hormone therapy
• Check out the blog post version of this episode here, which includes all citations.

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**The information shared by Fempower Health is not medical advice but for informational purposes to enable you to have more effective conversations with your doctor.  Always talk to your doctor before making health-related decisions. Additionally, the views expressed by the Fempower Health podcast guests are their own and their appearance on the program does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent.**

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