Hormone Replacement Therapy For Women

Getting older is part of life. While there are many great things about aging – wisdom, experience, friends, family, reaching your goals – certain physiological changes may feel less than great. Sleep disturbances, hot flashes, fatigue and lack of energy are just a few of the things you may wish you could undo.

By replenishing certain hormones in your body, you may be able to reduce some of the negative side effects of aging. This area of regenerative medicine focuses on the natural depletion of estrogen, progesterone and testosterone that naturally occurs with age. It is also well-suited to women experiencing hormonal imbalance as a result of hysterectomy or specific health conditions.

Hormones are molecules that carry messages throughout your body to regulate functions like hair growth, metabolism, sex drive, sleep, etc. They affect your energy, how you look, how you feel and how your organs function. The levels of certain hormones in your body naturally decrease with age.

How Can Bioidentical Hormone Therapy Benefit Women?

Men and women alike experience hormonal changes; however, some of the changes are specific to your biological sex. As a person with ovaries, your body will produce less ovarian hormones in the leadup to menopause and after menopause. These hormones include:

  • Estrogen
  • Progesterone
  • Androgens (testosterone and dehydroepiandrosterone)

While this regenerative medicine technique doesn’t necessarily seek a 1-to-1 replacement of hormones, it does seek to increase the levels. Working closely with a practitioner who first tests the baseline hormones in your body, you will receive a dose customized to you.

In people with a female reproductive system, hormonal imbalance may lead to:

  • Hot flashes
  • Vaginal dryness
  • Fatigue
  • Low energy
  • Poor sleep
  • Mood swings
  • Low libido
  • Difficulty losing weight
  • Difficulty building lean muscle mass
  • Poor concentration and memory

You want to feel your best, at any age and all stages of life. Whether you’ve noticed a change because of menopause, aging, a hysterectomy or for an unknown reason, restoring hormonal balance may improve your quality of life. You deserve to feel good.

What Are Bioidentical Hormones?

Historically, hormone replacement therapy was a treatment prescribed for women going through menopause (natural or surgical). Men were largely left out of the hormone replacement arena. Today, doctors routinely prescribe bioidentical hormone replacement for men and women to assist them in the maintenance of greater life vibrancy.
Bioidentical hormones are the modern alternative to synthetic hormones. They are called “bioidentical” because these customized hormones more closely mimic the hormones your body makes naturally. Formulated from plant-based substances, bioidentical hormones can be prescribed to restore optimal levels of testosterone, estrogen, progesterone, and other hormones, including cortisol, DHEA, and more.

How Long Does It Take For BHRT To Start Working?

Every situation is unique. In general, patients have noted that they’ve begun to feel more like their younger selves in as little as two to three weeks after beginning their personalized BHRT programs. That said, your physiology is unique. You may notice that some of your symptoms improve within a few weeks while others decrease over a longer period of a few months. Several factors can influence how quickly you feel the effects of your hormone replacement, including your body type, lifestyle, the dosage of your BHRT, and more.
You may support your hormone optimization by managing your stress levels, exercising regularly, keeping a consistent sleep schedule, and eating a nutrient-dense, well-balanced diet. While lifestyle habits alone aren’t proven to correct hormone imbalance, they can be complementary to your customized hormone replacement treatment.

Why Would A Woman Need Testosterone Replacement?

Testosterone is known as the “male hormone.” While it’s true that men have higher circulating levels of testosterone, this hormone is also of vital importance to women’s health. Testosterone is involved in all physiological processes that utilize androgen receptors. There are androgen receptors in nearly all of the tissues in your body, including your uterus, ovaries, vaginal tissue, fatty tissue, joints, bone, skin, endocrine glands, bladder, and brain.
As levels of testosterone decline throughout your adult life, you may encounter complaints such as loss of sex drive, brain fog, increased fatigue, increased abdominal fat, irritability, depression, anxiety, headaches, and more. Replacing what small amount of testosterone your body needs, you can regain more robust energy levels, more interest in sex, a better mood, and an overall sense of well-being.

What Does Estradiol Replacement Therapy Do For Women?

As a woman, you rely heavily on optimal estrogen levels. Naturally, as you get older and begin to near menopause, your estrogen levels may go a little haywire. Quicky rising and falling levels can cause a variety of unpleasant symptoms and also put you at risk of concerning health conditions. Estradiol hormone replacement supports your body’s reliance on estrogen and can reduce the symptoms of perimenopause like hot flashes, insomnia, night sweats, vaginal dryness, low libido, and even dry skin. This hormone replacement can also reduce your risk of health conditions like osteoporosis, diabetes, dementia, heart disease, and stroke.