Compounding – What Is It & How Can It Help My Family?

by Henri Roca, MD, Clinical Functional Medicine Specialist

A compounded product combines two or more ingredients to form a final product. In the pharmaceutical industry, it refers to the practice of customizing medication to meet individual patient needs based on the specifications set by the physician.

In conjunction, the pharmaceutical industry creates medication in large volumes. Both the dosage, formulation, and the delivery route of a medication may be very defined. Pharmaceutical medications may be discontinued once the patents have expired. A compounding pharmacy works with the patient, physician, dentist or veterinarian to create a sensible formulation unique to the specific health condition and the person. 

If you need a medication for a child and there is only an adult version available, chances are it will be too strong and won’t be easily or effectively delivered. In a compounding laboratory, we can start with the same active ingredient, whether it is natural or pharmaceutical, and put it into a hypoallergenic delivery method with delicious flavors

Many products can be delivered through a transdermal method for absorption through the skin into the bloodstream, bypassing the gastrointestinal tract and eliminating the most common of all side effects, stomach distress. At the same time, this method allows for the use of lower doses since there is no chance of breakdown in the stomach from stomach acid and enzymes. Using lower doses also means reduced side effects. 

In Functional Medicine, we combine a functional approach to health using lifestyle and diet combined with appropriate herbal, vitamin, and mineral support. Compounding of medications goes back to the very beginnings of medicine. Advanced technology makes it possible for a qualified pharmaceutical laboratory to achieve the accuracy of pharmaceutical companies while treating each case individually for optimum results.

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