Almost half of the female population says hormones are affecting their overall health. Nearly as many women have also experienced symptoms like mood swings, weight gain, and hot flashes. These symptoms could indicate a hormone imbalance.
Are you worried your hormones are impacting your overall health? Consider looking into bioidentical hormone replacement.
This form of therapy can help manage your symptoms, which can impact other bodily functions.
What exactly is bioidentical hormone replacement therapy and how can it help? Keep reading to find out! In this guide, we’ll review the benefits, side effects, and more about this form of hormone therapy.
Read on to discover if hormone replacement therapy is right for you!
What is Bioidentical Hormone Replacement?
If you’re experiencing symptoms like mood swings, growth issues, or changes in your libido, your doctor can test your blood. The results can indicate if your hormones are out of balance.
Your hormones impact:
- Immune function
- Digestion
- Growth
- Mood
- Appetite
- Libido
Trying to fix each symptom as it pops up can prove ineffective and costly. Instead, many doctors suggest hormone replacement therapy.
What is bioidentical hormone replacement, exactly?
Also referred to as BHRT, this form of therapy treats hormonal imbalances for female and male patients. It could help treat certain conditions, like menopause, at the source: your hormones.
BHRT could also help with other conditions like thyroid and adrenal disorders. Patients with fibromyalgia or osteoporosis might benefit, too.
When reviewing your bloodwork, your doctor might suggest using traditional hormone replacement therapy instead. Traditional hormones are created using a pregnant horse’s urine. These hormones are synthetic.
Bioidentical hormones, on the other hand, are manmade using plant estrogens. The hormones are chemically adjusted to trick your body into thinking they’re natural hormones. This ensures your body can’t differentiate between your natural hormones and synthetic ones.
Traditional hormones, on the other hand, aren’t natural to the human body.
Scientists are capable of creating different bioidentical hormones in their labs. Your doctor will determine which hormones you need based on your symptoms and health goals. These might include:
- Testosterone
- Progesterone
- Estrogen
- Estradiol hemihydrate
- Micronized progesterone USP
- 17-beta estradiol
- Estradiol acetate
These hormones are available in patch, pill, cream, gel, or injection form. By mimicking the natural hormones in your body, BHRT could help treat the imbalance you’re experiencing.
Potential Benefits
How can bioidentical hormone replacement benefit your health? Patients who used BHRT experienced a:
- 25% decrease in irritability
- 25% decrease in emotional lability
- 22% decrease in anxiety
- 14% reduction in night sweats
- 6% reduction in hot flashes
Your body will struggle to produce natural hormones as you get older. Patients who are in perimenopause or menopause experience hormone imbalances as a result. Doctors sometimes prescribe bioidentical hormone replacement for imbalances.
BHRT could improve your natural hormone levels to reduce symptoms like:
- Weight gain
- Hot flashes
- Night sweats
- Mood swings
- Sleep issues
- Memory loss
- Pain during sex
- Loss of interest in sex
Hormones can also impact your skin and hair.
With BHRT, you might notice your hair is no longer thinning. Your skin could feel more moisturized. BHRT might improve your skin’s elasticity, thickness, and hydration too.
As your skin becomes thicker and more elastic, you should notice fewer wrinkles.
Don’t worry. BHRT isn’t solely designed for patients with menopause. You can also benefit from bioidentical hormone replacement therapy if you have:
- Cancer
- Cataracts
- Diabetes
It could even reduce your risk of tooth loss.
If you have cancer, the treatment could impact your natural estrogen levels. You could develop symptoms like hot flashes and mood swings. BHRT could help ease these symptoms, along with:
- Incontinence
- Migraines
- Insomnia
- Loss of focus
- Declined libido
In one study, BHRT helped patients with breast cancer minimize these symptoms. They also reported that BHRT improved their quality of life.
Ready to discover a healthier, younger, more beautiful you? You can learn more about the benefits of BHRT at nufemme.com.
Potential Side Effects
Before you start searching for “bioidentical hormone replacement near me,” it helps to understand the potential risks involved. Every form of treatment comes with potential side effects.
The FDA has approved specific bioidentical progesterone and estradiol preparations. Before you start bioidentical hormone replacement therapy, talk to your doctor. Make sure they’re only using products that have received FDA approval.
FDA-approved products are tested before they’re approved for use.
Though there are approved products available, the FDA still urges patients to remain cautious when using compounded hormones. Using these hormones could increase your risk of developing certain diseases. These can include:
- Increased facial hair
- Weight gain
- Fatigue
- Bloating
- Acne
- Mood changes
- Gallbladder disease
- Skin changes
- Blood clots
- Vision changes
- Stroke
- Breast cancer
- Heart disease
If you start experiencing side effects, talk to your doctor. Ask them to adjust your current dose. Otherwise, it could take some time for your body to adapt to the treatment.
Dose
It helps to begin your treatment at the lowest possible dose. Start low and slowly increase your dose over time. Your ideal dosage can vary based on the symptoms you’re experiencing.
Your current hormone levels can also help your doctor determine the dosage you need.
Bioidentical hormone replacement doctors use blood, urine, and saliva tests to track your results. If you don’t experience changes, they might increase your current dosage. They’ll keep an eye on your hormone levels throughout the span of your treatment.
Talk to your doctor about the duration of your treatment. Reducing the timeframe for your treatment can help you avoid long-term side effects.
In some cases, remaining on BHRT for too long can make it more difficult for doctors to recognize you have a serious medical issue.
Pay attention to how your body adjusts to BHRT. If you experience any unexpected changes, let your doctor know right away.
Finding Balance: Your Guide to Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy
Don’t let a hormone imbalance impact your quality of life. Instead, talk to your doctor about bioidentical hormone replacement therapy. Hormone therapy could help you combat your symptoms at the root of the problem.
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