BIOIDENTICAL HORMONE
REPLACEMENT THERAPY
BIOIDENTICAL HORMONE
REPLACEMENT THERAPY
WHAT ARE HORMONES?
Your hormones enable the cells in your body to communicate by working as a lock and key.
Why BioIdentical Hormone Replacement Therapy
Why BioIdentical
Hormone
Replacement Therapy
If your hormones become unbalanced or drop to low levels, we prefer to ease the tension of your symptoms with BHRT (bioidentical hormone replacement therapy). This type of therapy has been featured often because it offers a completely natural solution. BHRT is often used for men and women experiencing low levels of estrogen, testosterone, progesterone, and DHEA.
Bioidentical hormones come from plant estrogens. These man-made hormones are identical to what is produced naturally by your body. Synthetic hormones made by pharmaceutical companies are not bioidentical and therefore cause many adverse reactions. Success by Design administers bioidentical hormone replacement therapy in a variety of ways including:
- Pellet therapy for men and women
- Oral Progesterone for women
- Injectable Testosterone for men
What Are Pellets?
Pellets are simply compounded testosterone or estradiol derived from organic plants. The molecular structure of pellets is exactly the same as what is produced by your body. Pellets are pressed until they are a solid compound. A pellet is about the size of a grain of rice. We use a pain-free office procedure to insert the pellets beneath the skin. The pellets are inserted in the hip area. Small amounts of the hormone are then released into the bloodstream. This is a lot like the hormones produced by the testes and ovaries of younger male and female adults. Medical literature has shown consistent hormone levels reach the bloodstream through the use of pellets.
When we insert pellets for women, they last for three to five months. The insertion for men lasts for four to six months. Once the pellets have been inserted, your hormones levels are controlled. We prefer pellet therapy because of the consistency and efficacy provided by the treatment.
What Are Hormones?
The majority of your body functions are controlled by your hormones. Your hormones enable the cells in your body to communicate by working as a lock and key. Hormones act like a key that unlocks certain cells in your body that coordinate your growth, immune function, libido, digestion, appetite, and mood to name a few.
As you age, your hormone production slows down. Even if your hormones are only slightly imbalanced, the impact on your health can be substantial. Hormones can impact your energy, appetite, sleep, sexual performance, and mood. Success by Design realizes that restoring the balance of your hormones throughout your body is critical to a happy and healthy lifestyle.
The more common hormones we focus on are estrogen, testosterone, progesterone, DHEA, thyroid and cortisol. These hormones can be measured with a simple blood test.
What Are Hormones?
The majority of your body functions are controlled by your hormones. Your hormones enable the cells in your body to communicate by working as a lock and key. Hormones act like a key that unlocks certain cells in your body that coordinate your growth, immune function, libido, digestion, appetite, and mood to name a few.
As you age, your hormone production slows down. Even if your hormones are only slightly imbalanced, the impact on your health can be substantial. Hormones can impact your energy, appetite, sleep, sexual performance, and mood. Success by Design realizes that restoring the balance of your hormones throughout your body is critical to a happy and healthy lifestyle.
The more common hormones we focus on are estrogen, testosterone, progesterone, DHEA, thyroid and cortisol. These hormones can be measured with a simple blood test.
The Natural
Sources of BHRT
The Natural Sources of BHRT
Natural sources are always used for bioidentical hormones. This includes roots and yams. This is because the hormone’s molecular structure can be created naturally and effectively. This means your body will be able to recognize the hormones so your levels can be restored throughout your body. You can have bioidentical hormones administered as pellets, injectables or creams.
These different forms are made by FDA registered compounding pharmacies, meaning they have passed the strict standards of the FDA. Tests have been conducted to make certain they are safe. If you are experiencing symptoms due to a hormone imbalance, contact us as soon as possible. We can help.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
FREQUENTLY
ASKED QUESTIONS
In men, testosterone levels begin to drop around age 35. They can drop by 1-3% per year and by age 40-50, levels of testosterone are low enough for men to have significant symptoms of aging. This period in a man’s life is referred to as Andropause.
In some cases, men will have a significant drop in their levels at an earlier age. The following factors can have a significant effect on lowering testosterone levels in younger men:
- Overweight/obesity
- Excess alcohol
- Liver disease
- Chronic illness
- Exposure to toxins
- Stressful lifestyle
Symptoms of “Low-T”:
- Difficulty sleeping
- Changes in mood
- Decrease in energy
- Unclear thinking/foggy brain
- Weight gain
- Loss of muscle mass
- Decrease sex drive/erectile dysfunction
Women can have hormone imbalances ANY TIME after the onset of puberty.
PMS (pre-menstrual syndrome) symptoms are a sign of hormone imbalance. Severe PMS symptoms are often treated using pharmaceutical oral birth control pills, which are a synthetic form of hormone replacement therapy. Because they are synthetic hormones, there can be many adverse side effects and may not be well tolerated by many women. Bio-identical progesterone can be used instead and is much better tolerated.
Around age 30-35, the reproductive hormones progesterone and testosterone start to decline significantly. This time in a woman’s life is referred to as perimenopause. It can last for 10 to 15 years until she reaches menopause. During perimenopause as progesterone and testosterone levels are declining faster than estrogen, some women become estrogen dominant leading to significant symptoms that can decrease their quality of life.
Most common symptoms of Perimenopause:
- Difficulty sleeping
- Anxiety/depression
- Decrease in energy
- Unclear thinking/foggy brain
- Weight gain
- Loss of muscle mass
- Night sweats
- Irregular or heavier periods
- Menstrual migraines
At Success by Design, we have observed that many women who come to us during perimenopause have been treated by their doctor with anxiety medications (like Xanax), anti-depressants (like Prozac), sleeping pills (like Ambien or Lunesta), and stimulants for ADHD (like Adderall) in response to the symptoms above. All of these medications can have significant adverse side effects, the worst of which is weight gain and decreased sex drive. Women do not develop a Xanax deficiency or Prozac deficiency” at age 35. For most, these prescription medications are NOT necessary if we just replace progesterone and testosterone.
Because of toxins in our environment that mimic estrogen, the increase in hormones in our meats, and the high rates of obesity (fat cells produce more estrogen), women can experience perimenopausal symptoms at even earlier ages than 30-35.
Eventually, women start to transition from perimenopause to menopause. This is when the estrogen levels start to decline significantly and menstrual cycles may become even more varied. Menopause is officially reached once a woman has been 12 consecutive months without a period. This is when the egg supply has been depleted and fertility ceases. The average age of menopause is 48-52.
Once women reach menopause, this is usually when we will add estrogen therapy to their bio-identical hormone therapy regimen as they start to experience hot flashes and vaginal dryness.
We use BHRT most often for the symptoms of menopause and perimenopause in women, and Low-T symptoms (or Andropause) in men. BHRT can also be used to improve the following conditions in both men and women.
- Insulin resistance
- Memory Loss/Brain Fog and PTSD
- Thyroid and adrenal disorders
- Fibromyalgia
- Joint aches and pains
- Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
- ADHD
BHRT may also decrease your risk for osteoporosis. Testosterone pellets have been shown to increase bone density by 8% per year. We have seen some evidence showing how BHRT helps with the elasticity, hydration, and thickness of your skin in addition to smoothing out wrinkles. We have also seen estrogen levels impacted by cancer treatments. BHRT can improve the quality of life and general well-being of these individuals. A study was conducted regarding individuals receiving BHRT after cancer therapy.
The study showed the participants found relief from common symptoms including insomnia, low libido, incontinence, and migraines. The study also revealed the recurrent breast cancer rate was not any higher than the average. Some of the most effective applications of BHRT include pellet therapy, injectable, and creams.
Aging is commonly associated with declining health and chronic diseases such as heart disease, osteoporosis and Alzheimer’s.
No one can stop the aging process but, through simple lifestyle changes, bioidentical hormone replacement therapy and nutritional supplements, you can experience a more successful aging process and decrease your risk of these chronic conditions.