Ah, trick question.

The over the counter product I used and the chemical listed on my pharmacy prescribed is the same name--- both were bioidenticals.

The OTC is processed from a special plant. Does that make it synthetic?? Some might think so.

It is really about how the body recognizes the chemical. It is a familiar form, or alien?

It is like strawberry flavoring-- it is either synthesized from real strawberries where a component of the whole is removed for use or a chemical that our nose recognizes as " strawberry" yet is not " natural" made in a laboratory. Our nose recognizes both as "strawberry" but the chemical make up is different, and our body recognizes a difference.