Bioidentical hormone replacement therapy benefits men and women of various ages suffering from hormonal imbalances. Each treatment plan is uniquely tailored to the individual. To select the right therapy, you must understand all the available options for therapy and exactly how bioidentical hormone therapy can enhance your life and wellbeing.
How Do You Know if Your Hormone Levels are Unbalanced?
If you are considering hormone replacement therapy (HRT), you may be experiencing symptoms that may be keeping you from feeling like yourself. Those symptoms may be the earliest signs of aging, such as foggy thinking, sleeplessness, muscle loss, or low energy. Furthermore, conditions of aging like menopause in women can cause hot flashes, mood swings, and weight gain while even post-menopausal women experience symptoms including but not limited to hair loss and low libido. Aging also has an effect on men known as andropause, which is caused by fluctuation of testosterone levels.
Human hormones play a significant role in maintaining proper function of the body. Whatever the reason you are seeking ways to feel better, the first step in determining if your symptoms are the result of a hormonal imbalance and that you are a candidate for bio-identical hormone replacement therapy, is comprehensive lab testing.
Lab testing at BodyLogicMD assesses blood, urine and sometimes saliva samples to measure the current status of your natural hormones. Your physician will use the results of this lab testing along with your medical history and current symptoms to make a diagnosis and develop a treatment plan. Hormonal imbalances may be treated with bio-identical hormones.
Bioidentical Hormone Therapy Options
There are many delivery methods available for bioidentical hormone replacement therapy (BHRT). Your doctor will make recommendations for you based on availability, medical needs, lifestyle and personal preferences. Bioidentical hormone delivery options include pills, patches, creams, injections, and pellets.
Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy Benefits
Bioidentical hormones are hormones that have the exact same chemical structure as the hormones naturally occurring in our bodies.
Bioidentical hormones have been shown in some studies to cause fewer side effects and risks. In 2002, the famed Women’s Health Initiative (WHI), a large study on hormone therapy and women’s health, was halted early. a large study on hormone therapy and women’s health, was halted early. The early discontinuation of the study was linked to the increased incidence of breast cancer, stroke, and heart disease among many of the trial participants. The study used synthetic hormones to treat menopausal symptoms and hypothesized that the therapy would reduce cardiovascular diseases and fractures because bioidentical estrogen and progesterone have been shown in studies to have these positive benefits.
The study ruined the reputation of hormone therapy for many decades. Experts have reviewed the study and found the methodologies to be flawed. Many point to the choice in hormone therapy—artificial forms of progesterone and estrogen as a primary factor for the increased risk of disease.
Bioidentical hormones, on the other hand, are derived from naturally-occurring sources and designed to be structurally identical to the natural hormones produced by the human body. The structural match improves the likelihood that the supplemented hormones will function the same as your own natural hormones. In studies, bioidentical hormones, such as estradiol and progesterone, resulted in fewer negative side effects and enhanced effectiveness.
When your physician writes a prescription for bioidentical hormones, your order may be sent to a compounding pharmacy. AIf the prescription is sent to a compounding pharmacy, a compounding pharmacist will develop the prescription in the exact dosage and strength prescribed by your physician. This is an important detail to note when choosing bioidentical hormone therapy. Unlike non-bioidentical hormones, which are mass produced in specified strengths and dosages, bioidentical hormones are custom-tailored to the needs of the patient. It is one more way bioidentical hormone therapy helps more patients achieve their goals with fewer side effects and better outcomes.
Making the Choice for Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy
It can be difficult to determine the best solution for hormonal imbalance. You may have lived with the nuisance of low energy for years or the nagging discomfort of hot flashes for only a month. Regardless of your tenure with hormonal imbalance, you want to choose a treatment option that is effective and allows you to live a healthier, fuller life.
At BodyLogicMD, your treatment plan is tailored to meet the needs of your lifestyle, as well as address your symptoms and health concerns. Every practitioner of the BodyLogicMD network has advanced training in hormone health and continues to pursue ongoing education in the field of anti-aging medicine and bioidentical hormone therapy.
Your journey as a patient will begin with comprehensive lab testing. When your results are processed, they will be sent to your physician for review. At your first consultation, your doctor will get to know you, your symptoms and medical history, as well as discuss the results of your lab testing. Together, the two of you will discover the best treatment plan for your unique needs. Bioidentical hormone therapy is often part of a successful treatment plan, but it is not the only therapy. Your physician may also prescribe supplements, offer nutritional guidance and suggest routine exercise as part of your treatment.
Hormone therapy is a journey. Like most effective therapies, consistent dedication toward your goals will yield the greatest success. It will take time for your body to adjust to the hormones, supplements, and therapies for you to begin to see results and ultimately reach your goals. You and your physician will check-in on a routine basis to ensure your treatment is on track for success or if adjustments need to be made. Ongoing communication between you and your practitioner is essential to a successful treatment plan.
Only you can decide in bioidentical hormone therapy is the best choice for your health and wellbeing. The expert team and BodyLogicMD is available to answer all of your questions and assist you in getting started on your bioidentical hormone treatment therapy. When you are ready to begin your journey to feeling better and rediscovering the health and vitality you once knew, contact BodyLogicMD.
Other Frequently Asked Questions
- Q. What are bioidentical hormones?
- Q. Who needs bioidentical hormone replacement therapy (BHRT)?
- Q. What is the difference between bioidentical and synthetic hormones?
- Q. What are the ingredients of bioidentical hormones?
- Q. Why do women need hormones before, during and after menopause?
- Q. Why do men need testosterone replacement?
- Q. What makes BodyLogicMD affiliated practitioners experts in bioidentical hormone therapy?
- Q. What can I expect once I’ve become a patient?
- Q. My sex drive is low, could it be my hormones?
- Q. What is pellet therapy?
- Q. Will you take over as my doctor?
- Q. What are the side effects associated with bioidentical hormones?
