Find Out How Doctors Specialized in Bioidentical Hormones Can
Help Improve Your Quality of Life
Menopause is a difficult, uncomfortable, sometimes painful process for women all over the world, no matter their race, economic or social background. It is a stage that must be endured; it is unavoidable. However, doctors specialized in bioidentical hormones can help you through this process of change, providing some relief from some of the worst symptoms brought on by the onset of menopause. They use bioidentical hormones to improve your health and provide an overall better quality of life during this trying time.
What are bioidentical hormones?
Bioidentical hormones have a molecular structure that is exactly the same as that of hormones produced by our bodies, which makes them biologically identical. They are taken from plant sources such as soybean, wild yam and other plant extracts and are synthesized, or altered, in a lab to replicate the hormones in the body. The steroids and hormones are then made into creams, capsules, suppositories, or injections so they can be easily absorbed by the body. Bio identical hormones, sometimes called "natural hormones", are used in the treatment of menopause, perimenopause, as well as post-menopause symptoms. Bioidentical hormone doctors highly recommend their use because there are much fewer side effects to bioidentical hormones. These are natural, and our bodies metabolize bioidentical hormones the way it's designed to. Synthetic hormones, on the other hand, often are rather strong and produce unbearable side effects.
What are the harmful side effects produced by synthetic hormones?
Some of the possible side effects of synthetic hormone replacement are:
- depression
- nausea
- fluid retention
- headaches
- vaginal bleeding
- dizziness
- changes in the shape of the eye
- breast tenderness
There are also some risks, namely, an increased risk for reduced tolerance to sugar and other carbohydrates, as well as an increased risk of breast or uterine cancer, particularly when progesterone is not used.
What are the advantages of Bioidentical Hormone
Replacement Therapy (BHRT)?
BHRT has been around for over 20 years. The major benefit of BHRT
is that it allows doctors specialized in bioidentical hormones to offer different
choices of drugs, different strengths, and a variety of dosage
forms. Moreover, through hormone testing, the compounded
bioidentical hormones can be made to match each woman's individual
hormone replacement needs. This is something that simply cannot be
done with commercially produced hormones. Some other advantages of
bioidentical hormone replacement therapy are that it:
- lowers cholesterol levels
- improves mental health
- improves the look and feel of hair and skin
- improves sex drive
- decreases the risk of osteoporosis
- decreases the risk of heart attack and stroke
Doctors specialized in bioidentical hormones are well aware of these advantages, as well as the added benefit that research shows that when estrogen is replaced with the use of progesterone, there is a lesser risk of breast cancer. On the other hand, bioidentical testosterone is what increases your sex drive, and does not cause unwanted hair growth if administered at the correct levels.
What are the different kinds of hormones used by doctors specialized in bioidentical hormones?
1. Natural Estrogens
There are three kinds of estrogens you should know about:
Estrone, Estradiol and Estriol. The majority of prescription
estrogens when taken by mouth are converted in your GI tract and
end up predominantly as estrone.
- Estrone: If your goal is to get your estrogen
levels up to where they were before menopause, then estradiol is
your natural estrogen. Studies indicate that Estrone is the
estrogen responsible for breast cancer.
- Estradiol: It is the primary estrogen manufactured by the ovary; estrone is formed by the conversion of estradiol. Vaginal rings, estradiol creams, and transdermal patches, provide pre-menopausal levels of estradiol.
- Estriol: It is prevalent primarily during pregnancy because it is at this time when massive amounts of Estriol are produced, which leads to protection against breast cancer. If you seek a natural estrogen that is the least likely to cause cancer, then estriol is probably the right choice.
2. Natural Progesterone
Natural progesterone is produced by the ovaries before menopause kicks in, and by the adrenal glands and fat cells after menopause; it is the precursor for natural estrogen. It is the single most important hormone in the female body.
Natural progesterone corrects hormone imbalance of the two primary female hormones. This will protect from the effects of Estrogen Dominance.
Natural progesterone provides many positive benefits; some of these are:
- It facilitates the action of the thyroid hormone
- It is a natural anti-depressant
- It helps to normalize ovaries
- It stimulates the osteoblast in bone tissue cells
- It normalizes blood sugar levels
- It is a natural diuretic
- It normalizes blood clotting
- It normalizes levels of zinc and copper
3. Natural Androgens
The body uses natural or supplemented androgens as a source of estrogen. Androgens are manufactured by the female ovaries, are essential to normal sexual development, and are a major part in maintaining sexual desire along with strong and healthy skin, muscle and bone. The natural bioidentical testosterone will not produce the side effects of synthetic testosterone.
Doctors specialized in bioidentical hormones can provide you with all of this
information and more, much more. They can provide the possibility
of enjoying an active, healthy life, by fighting all of the
uncomfortable effects of menopause, without having to bear the
harmful effects of synthetic hormones. And since you may be given
natural hormones to match your very own hormone replacement
needs....what more could you ask for? Let bio identical hormone
doctors give you the quality of life you deserve.
Contact Kenton Bruice,
M.D. with your questions about bioidentical hormone
therapy.
