Hormone Replacement Therapy for Women

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Bio-identical hormone replacement therapy (BHRT) is a type of hormone therapy that uses hormones that are identical in chemical structure to the hormones produced by a woman’s ovaries.

There are many different hormones, and each one has a specific job to do. When hormone levels get out of balance, it can lead to a wide range of issues, both physical and emotional.

Typically, hormone levels drop as human beings age, and this gradual change can have lasting effects on health, energy, and the skin’s elasticity.  BHRT can be used to treat a wide range of symptoms, including but not limited to: menopause symptoms, perimenopause symptoms, andropause symptoms, and thyroid problems.

Bio-identical hormones are hormones that are chemically identical to the hormones produced by the human body. This means that they are able to replicate the effects of the hormones produced by the body, and can help to restore balance to the body’s systems. Hormones regulate mood, growth and development, tissue function, metabolism and reproductive systems, among other things.

Thyroid hormones are a group of three hormones that are produced by the thyroid gland: thyroxine (T4), triiodothyronine (T3), and calcitonin. The thyroid hormones are responsible for regulating the body’s metabolism, and play a role in the development and function of the brain, heart, muscles, and other tissues.

Bio-identical hormone replacement therapy can offer a lot of benefits for women, but there are also some potential side effects.

Side effects may vary depending on the individual, but some potential side effects include headaches, nausea, vomiting, breast enlargement, anger issues, bloating, polycythemia (blood "thickening") and changes in sex drive. 

Most of these side effects are usually mild and temporary, but it’s important to discuss these with one of our Providers before starting treatment.

Most people know Testosterone  as a male hormone, but testosterone is an essential hormone and plays a vital role in women's health as well.  Women produce testosterone in smaller amounts, primarily from their ovaries and adrenal glands. 

Studies involving testosterone replacement in women are scarce but there are observational studies that demonstrate potential significant benefit including:

• Improves Libido
• Can improve depression/anxiety
• Improves self confidence
• Improves motivation
• Decreases muscle loss
• Improves exercise recovery time
• Increases bone density
• Decreases fat and cholesterol
• Decreases insulin resistance
• Improves cognition and memory
• Improves fatigue

• Increase in bone density
• Reduction in menopausal symptoms (hot flashes, night sweats, insomnia, headaches)
• Improvement in female dysfunction
• Decrease in cardiovascular risk

• Improved sleep
• Decrease in hormonal headaches
• Decrease in heavy menses bleeding
• Uterine stabilization and decrease in uterine cancer risk

Thyroid hormones support nearly every body system. In humans and other backboned animals, the iodine-containing hormones guarantee proper development of the brain, skeleton, and organs.

If thyroid hormone levels are too low or too high, they can derail the body's delicate balance, causing goiter and other health problems including weight gain, low energy, dry skin, brittle hair/nails, constipation, and fatigue.

These distinct regulators work alone or cooperate with other hormones to generate energy, control cell oxygen use, and moderate many other life processes in males and females.

Pellets

Bioidentical hormone therapy comes in many different forms, but the most popular is pellet therapy. Pellet therapy involves inserting tiny pellets (made of estradiol and testosterone) under the skin. The pellets are made to release hormones over time, providing a consistent dose of hormones.

One of the benefits of pellet therapy is that it provides a consistent dose of hormones. This is important because it helps to avoid the fluctuations in hormone levels that can occur with other forms of bioidentical hormone therapy. Another benefit is that pellet therapy does not require daily administration like other forms of bio-identical hormone therapy do.

Injections

One of the main benefits of bio-identical hormone therapy is that it can be administered via injection, which means that the hormones are delivered directly to the site where they are needed. This results in a much more precise dose than you would get if you were taking a pill, and it also ensures that the hormones are not metabolized (broken down) before they reach their target.

Orals:  Pills, Troches

Daily oral formulations are available.  This is a great way to treat hormonal issues with the ease of dose adjustments and tailored for your specific needs.