To understand the difference you need to first understand that hormones are basically chemical structures. Each hormone has a unique chemical structure. Sometimes the different hormones only vary by a few minor chemical differences that end up resulting in a huge difference in results.
Each cell in your body has numerous different receptors. The cell responds in a specific way based on the receptor that is activated. It is similar to puzzle pieces that match perfectly together. The hormone binds to its specific receptor and starts a specific reaction.
Bioidentical hormones are biologically identical to what your body makes. This means that their chemical structure is exactly the same as what your body naturally makes. Synthetic hormones are made when hormones are manipulated slightly so that the hormone can be patented. Thus the chemical structure is slightly different. Unfortunately the medical community often looks at them as exactly the same, even though they are not. Remember, your body’s hormones and receptors work based on very specific chemical structures. Simple chemical changes may seem innocent but it can potentially result in minor and major side effects.
A good example of this is Progesterone (bioidentical) and Progestin (synthetic). These two hormones are treated interchangeably in medical literature. They both can help your periods be lighter and help PMS, however Progesterone has been shown to decrease breast cancer risk and Progestin has been shown to increase your risk. This is only one example of the difference between a bio-identical hormone and a synthetic hormone.
Those of us that understand hormones believe that it makes more sense to replace your hormones with something that is the exact same as what your body would naturally make. We put back your hormone puzzle with exact fitting puzzle pieces.