Bio-identical Hormone Therapy
Women are complicated. Just ask any man. When it comes to physical and emotional health, women are multi-faceted in mysterious and beautiful ways. Some might claim that as women age and gain experience and wisdom, their complexity is enhanced. Specifically, when women approach that “momentous” time of peri-menopause and menopause, life starts to get uncomfortable and uneasy. The sweetness of life becomes sour. Symptoms just suddenly appear out of nowhere and they annoyingly don’t go away for a really long time. Why does this happen?
Well, first, Mother Nature intended for women to be mothers when they are young, vibrant and full of energy to chase after those little kids. Biologically speaking, the body’s hormones decline as the years go by. In fact, the same hormone decline occurs in men – so named Andropause, as Testosterone (an androgenic hormone) and other hormone levels diminish. After mid-life, the adrenal glands pick up the slack and gradually become the major source of sex hormones in both men and women, but sub-optimally.
The adrenal glands are responsible for releasing stress hormones, among others. Therefore, intense or prolonged physical or emotional stress commonly associated with modern lifestyles, as well as stressful chronic illnesses can lead to a condition called Adrenal Fatigue. This can be an important contributing factor to increased cases of infections due to a weaker immune system, allergies, fatigue, foggy thinking and many other symptoms. This is why proper adrenal support is essential to complete the hormonal pathway to better health. Such support includes healthy food, sufficient sleep, exercise, stress management, slowing down to regain a calmer perspective on life, and replacement of deficient hormones.
For women, that gradual drop in sex hormones is what leads to such pesky symptoms as hot flashes, night sweats, anxiety, depression, insomnia, weight gain around the middle, low libido and more. Men tend to experience such symptoms as low energy, low libido, decreased muscle mass, weight gain in the chest, less ambition, irritability and others. The good news is that you don’t have to keep living with these symptoms! For those who would like to rekindle those hormones, you might consider an option that will leave you feeling in much better spirits.
The solution is Bio-identical Hormone Replacement Therapy to treat the symptoms of Menopause and Andropause. Bio-identical Hormones are natural medications that contain plant based hormones which are an exact chemical match to those made naturally by humans. These hormones include estrogen, progesterone, testosterone and DHEA (an adrenal gland hormone) and are created from plants sources such as soy and wild yam and later pharmaceutically processed to be identical to the body’s hormones. Most bio-identical hormones are created in a trans-dermal topical cream for optimal absorption, but some are available in pill form.
Bio-identical Hormones are available from Compounding Pharmacies and require a written prescription from a licensed practitioner. Compounding prescriptions involve the mixing of drugs by a pharmacist or physician to fit the unique needs of a patient. This is done for medically necessary reasons, such as changing the form of the medication from a pill to a cream or to obtain a specific dose. These customized preparations address the individual’s hormonal imbalances. (Shouldn’t every treatment plan or prescription be that way??) Conversely, conventional synthetic hormones are made by pharmaceutical drug companies, approved by the FDA, and are usually sold in a standard “one size fits all” dose.
A synthetic hormone such as conjugated equine estrogen (CEE) from pregnant horse urine is controversial and not recommended due to reported incidences of heart attacks, strokes, liver disease and cancer. Although bio-identical hormones are not currently approved by the FDA, they are increasingly being used throughout the world every day by trusted, credentialed health care practitioners. The most important validity of effectiveness, of course, is that people consistently report symptom relief.
To determine if Bio-identical Hormones are right for you, it is important to meet with a qualified licensed health care practitioner who has training in this type of therapy, i.e., a Naturopathic Doctor. A complete medical history is imperative and will include such factors as current and past medical history, family history, nutrition status, exercise, medications, supplements, emotional and chemical stresses and pertinent physical exams. Afterwards, a 24 hour Urine Steroid Hormone Test is ordered (collected by you- the patient,) and then interpreted by the doctor to see where the underlying imbalance lies. Finally, a prescription is filled for bio-identical hormones at your local compounding pharmacy. Ahhh…breathe a sigh of relief as you are on your way to feeling better.