Your hormones play an important role in how you feel each day. These so-called “messengers” of the body regulate many different functions and processes, including those related to sleep, metabolism and reproduction.
As you age, or as a result of certain health conditions, hormone levels decrease. Especially important are the levels of testosterone, estrogen and progesterone. They have a big impact on how you feel. The right balance of hormones keeps you feeling energetic and active.
Hormonal decline leads to a wide array of undesirable outcomes: sleeplessness, fatigue, foggy thinking, low energy, weight gain and loss of lean muscle. Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) restores the levels in order to improve the way you feel and to reduce the negative effects of hormone decline.
What are Bioidentical Hormones?
Regenerative medicine practitioners most often utilize bioidentical hormones in their treatment protocols, as differentiated from other synthetic hormones. The differences come down to how they are made, what they are made with and their molecular structure. Bioidentical hormones are manufactured in a lab to be identical to naturally occurring hormones, which is why they are favored by regenerative medicine practitioners. They are most often sourced from plants.
What do Bioidentical Hormones do?
Your doctor may recommend hormone replacement therapy as a way to alleviate:
- Lack of energy
- Poor sleep
- Decreased libido
- Lack of interest in sex
- Lack of interest in your favorite activities
- Weight gain or weight fluctuations
- Loss of muscle mass
- Difficulty concentrating
- Vaginal dryness
- Hot flashes
- High cholesterol
- High risk of heart disease
- Loss of bone density
- Thinning hair
- Once your baseline has been established through blood testing, we will be able to determine whether you can benefit from hormonal replenishment.
Hormones may be administered in pill form, as a gel or cream, or as an implanted pellet. The dose is based on the symptoms you are seeking to alleviate, as well as your age and health history. Follow-up discussions are very important to monitor how the dose is working or not working for you.
Will I Have to Stop Hormone Replacement Therapy at a Certain Age?
Not necessarily. There is not a predetermined age at which it is no longer safe. Instead, your health will need to be carefully evaluated to make sure you are still a good candidate. As a person ages, they may be more likely to have the risk factors that increase the side effects possible with HRT.
Are Bioidentical Hormones Only for Women?
Absolutely not. Men and women alike can benefit from HRT because both men and women experience hormonal imbalance and hormone decline. Oftentimes bioidentical hormones are offered as a remedy for certain changes caused by menopause, but post-menopausal women are only one group of many that can benefit.
Get Started on the HRT Process
In some situations, stem cell therapy can be combined with bioidentical hormone replacement therapy. But it also often makes sense to perform HRT as a standalone treatment. Schedule a consultation to find out what’s right for you.
