Turning Back Time: Menopause and Hormone Therapy

Hormone imbalance becomes more prevalent as both men and women age due to the dropping of certain hormonal levels (andropause and menopause). In women, estrogen is the main hormone related to most of the symptoms suffered by women because of hormone imbalances and deficiencies. However, fluctuating levels of progesterone and testosterone, among other hormones, in women can also cause symptoms like adult acne, hot flashes, insomnia, and weight gain. Wellness centers and other health facilities can provide safe and effective treatment for hormone imbalances and deficiencies in the form of bioidentical hormone replacement therapy (BHRT). Let's find out how BHRT can restore women's original hormone levels while helping treat different acute and chronic conditions that they experience because of menopause.

Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy and Menopause

Bioidentical hormone replacement therapy (BHRT) is a hormone treatment that utilizes hormones similar to those naturally produced in the human body. Certain medical professionals can make the BHRT hormones to be truly identical to hormones produced by our bodies when we were younger. For example, when treating women using BHRT, the BHRT hormones used can be identical to natural hormones gradually lost as menopause runs its course. When reintroduced into the body, they help restore health, vitality, and bodily functions. BHRT hormones are so similar to what the human body has, as the chemical structures are so alike that there are little to no side effects when assimilated. Those who decide to undergo BHRT will get a customized treatment as the hormones involved in the treatment process are specific to each patient. Also, BHRT provides a great alternative to synthetic hormone treatments.

Any woman experiencing hormonal imbalance or deficiency symptoms can be a candidate for BHRT. Women who are most likely to suffer from hormone balance imbalance and deficiency are either: 

● Perimenopausal (marked about four to six years before menopause, when hormones begin to decline), 

● Menopausal (hormone production has ceased along with regular menstrual cycles), or 

● Postmenopausal (after menopause has occurred, usually marked after twelve straight months of no menstruation) 

Turning Back (Hormonal) Time

Customized bioidentical hormone replacement therapy (BHRT) treatments are available for women regardless of what stage of menopause they’re in. During the perimenopausal years, hormones in women's bodies will start fluctuating. After entering menopause, estrogen levels will have dropped sharply, and progesterone levels will be nigh-nonexistent, forming an imbalance between the two hormones. After reaching this stage, a woman's body won't produce the same level of estrogen or progesterone. Decreased hormone levels will bring a bevy of symptoms for women to experience, including:

● Acne

● Anxiety

● Depression

● Decreased libido or sex drive

● Decreased metabolism

● Dry skin

● Vaginal dryness

● Headaches

● Hot and cold flashes

● Higher chance of heart disease and osteoporosis

● Increased body fat, especially in the abdomen and waist

● Increased cholesterol levels

● Joint pains

● Night sweats

● Reduced mental focus and memory

Hormone replacement therapy will help with such symptoms. In addition, hormone replacement therapies like BHRT can reverse many of the symptoms and health risks related to menopause by restoring hormone levels to original levels. The restoration of hormone levels and "turning back time" is done safely, effectively, and naturally with the reintroduction of hormones that are bioidentical to ones normally produced by the body before menopause.

Author bio: Though not a medical professional, Hodge Racter knows a lot about medical topics, including hormone replacement (having undergone the procedure himself) and medical weight-loss surgeries. Today, he stays spry and enthusiastic despite his age, & when he is not doing freelance work, he has quality time with his wife & two dogs.