Hormone deficiencies can develop at any age and have profound effects on quality of life. Bioidentical hormone replacement therapy aims to restore optimal hormonal balance and alleviate deficiency symptoms. This article will educate on:
- Estrogen - Fatigue, hot flashes, vaginal dryness, mood changes - Progesterone - Irregular periods, infertility, sleep disruption - Testosterone - Low libido, erectile dysfunction, depression - Thyroid (T3/T4) - Fatigue, weight gain, hair loss, cold sensitivity
Pay attention to unexplained changes like sleep problems, low energy, emotional instability, sexual dysfunction. These may indicate a hormonal disorder.
Getting comprehensive lab testing of your hormone levels is crucial for understanding deficiencies or imbalances. This will guide personalized treatment plans.
Bioidentical hormone replacement offers many advantages over synthetic hormones:
Bioidentical hormones have a molecular structure identical to the hormones produced in the human body. This allows optimal activation of hormone receptors.
Doses can be carefully calibrated and hormones administered through gels, pellets or injections based on your needs. This customization reduces side effects.
Treatment aims for physiologic hormone levels to resolve deficiency symptoms long-term without adverse effects. This promotes wellbeing.
Studies show bioidentical ESTrogen and progesterone from plants does not increase risk for blood clots, strokes or breast cancer like synthetics.
The first step is to get a prescription for the deficient hormones from a trained hormone specialist or functional/anti-aging doctor.
Bioidentical hormones are custom-compounded at specialized pharmacies per the doctor's instructions. This allows personalization.
Patients should follow-up 3-6 months after starting hormones for repeat lab testing and dose adjustments as needed based on symptom improvements.
Healthy lifestyle choices like nutrition, exercise, stress reduction and high quality sleep support hormone balance and promote vibrant health during treatment.
No two patients are alike - an integrated treatment approach based on your unique health profile is crucial. Finding an experienced doctor to order testing, interpret your results and oversee bioidentical hormone replacement is essential to successful treatment. Timely diagnosis and therapy can resolve troublesome symptoms, restoring wellness and quality of life.
Though marketed as more natural, bioidentical hormones have a similar chemical structure to synthetic hormones and evidence does not clearly show bioidenticals are safer or more effective. More research is still needed to fully understand the long-term effects of both types of hormone therapy.
