What is Bioidentical Hormone Therapy?
What are hormones?
Hormones are powerful chemical messengers that circulate through the bloodstream to specific target cells where they generate a wide range of biological responses. Hormones are responsible for the body’s physical and emotional well-being.
The body needs proper hormonal balance to function efficiently. When out of balance, virtually every system and organ in your body feels its effect. Every time you cry, become angry, feel tired, laugh, have sex, feel hungry, or fall asleep your body is responding to hormones.
How do Stress Hormones Affect the Body?
Cortisol helps our body meet all the daily challenges of life. Without proper cortisol levels we would not be able to get out of bed in the morning or effectively deal with stress. This powerful hormone helps keep us fit, modulate carbohydrate metabolism, fat storage, and is necessary for life itself. Cortisol is a potent antiinflammatory and when secreted during times of acute stress, it is essential for fight or flight response. But in chronic stress, cortisol levels become chronically elevated, out of balance with other hormones, and become inflammatory. Since chronic inflammation is a common denominator for many age related diseases, chronically elevated cortisol levels are not desirable. For many of us, aging itself causes adrenal stress, and causes cortisol to be secreted out of sync with other hormones. Reducing stress by lifestyle changes, utilizing adrenal adptogens, and balancing hormones can drastically improve health and well being in most of us.
Do Hormone Levels Change as we Age?
Yes, hormone levels change significantly in both men and women as we age. Levels can drop as much as 80%-90% from their youthful peaks. In women, hormones such as estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone fall most rapidly during and after menopause.
A man’s testosterone production decreases by approximately 2% per year from the age of 25. That means that by age 50, the average male’s testosterone will have decreased by almost half! What men don’t realize is that testosterone is not just about sex drive. It’s about a positive attitude, hand eye coordination, cardiac output, healing, and much more.
Why Should I Consider Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy?
Hormone therapy is about balance. For many years medical practitioners have known the importance of hormone dysfunction. Supplemental insulin, thyroid, and other hormones have been used in healthcare for a long time. But subtle or gradual hormone loss as we get older has been conventionally perceived as the normal course of aging. However, there is now mounting evidence that not only is hormone loss secondary to aging, but aging is in part secondary to hormone loss.
When in balance, hormones have numerous health benefits including protecting your brain cells, protecting your heart, building strong bones and muscles, improving your immune system, improving skin health, your sex life, and your sense of well being.
Is Bioidentical Hormone Therapy Right for You?
The aging process differs from person to person. Lifestyle, diet, and exposure to environmental toxins takes a toll on our bodies over time. If your quality of life has been impacted by these changes, you may be a good candidate for hormone therapy. Please feel free to call our office and we will be more than happy to answer any questions you may have.