Anyone who has dealt with hormonal imbalance knows how frustrating it can be. You can feel like you’re on an emotional roller coaster, your weight fluctuates for no reason, and you just don’t feel like yourself. These are all common symptoms of hormone imbalance, and they can be frustrating. If you’ve been struggling to find relief, bioidentical hormone replacement therapy (BHRT) may be the answer. BHRT can help restore your hormonal balance and improve your quality of life. Here’s everything you need to know.
What is Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy?
BHRT is a type of hormone therapy that uses hormones identical to the ones produced by your body. This is in contrast to traditional hormone replacement therapy, which uses synthetic hormones that are similar but not identical to the ones produced by your body. BHRT can treat conditions related to hormone imbalance, such as menopause, perimenopause, adrenal fatigue, and thyroid disorders.
Common Conditions Caused by Hormone Imbalance
Hormonal imbalances can cause a variety of conditions. Here are some of the more common ones:
Weight Gain
One of the most common conditions associated with hormonal imbalances is weight gain. Hormones play a significant role in regulating our metabolism. When our hormone levels are off, our metabolism slows down, and we start to gain weight. Weight gain caused by hormonal imbalances is often difficult to lose, even with diet and exercise.
Acne
Another common condition caused by hormonal imbalances is acne. Hormones can trigger the overproduction of sebum, which can clog pores and lead to breakouts. Acne caused by hormonal imbalances is often resistant to over-the-counter treatments.
Irregular Periods
Hormones are a key factor in regulating the menstrual cycle. When hormone levels are out of balance, periods can become irregular or even stop completely. Irregular periods caused by hormonal imbalances can be frustrating and painful.
Diabetes
When you have diabetes, it means that your blood sugar levels are too high. This can be caused by an imbalance of the hormones insulin and glucagon. Insulin is responsible for transporting sugar from the bloodstream into the cells to be used for energy. Glucagon is responsible for releasing stored sugar into the bloodstream when blood sugar levels get too low. When these hormones are out of balance, it can lead to fluctuating blood sugar levels and diabetes.
Thyroid Conditions
The thyroid gland is responsible for producing the hormones thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3). These hormones help regulate the body’s metabolism. An imbalance of these hormones can lead to hyperthyroidism (too much thyroid hormone) or hypothyroidism (too little thyroid hormone). Both conditions can cause multiple symptoms, including weight gain or loss, fatigue, and mood swings.
How Does BHRT Work?
During BHRT treatment, your doctor will prescribe hormones that can be taken in pill form, injected, or applied topically. At Vive, for women, we do BHRT using transdermal creams and pills. The creams give a non-invasive approach to care and allow the hormones to bypass the gastrointestinal system and further reduce the chance of any side effects. For men, testosterone can be given in an auto-inject needle or transdermally.. Bioidentical hormone replacement restores hormone levels that have dipped below normal ranges in your body. This helps to alleviate the symptoms of hormone imbalance and improve your quality of life.
What Are the Benefits?
There are a number of benefits that come with BHRT. For starters, it can improve your mood and sleep, make you look and feel younger, improve your sex drive, give you more energy and even help you lose weight. BHRT can also help reduce the risk of health conditions resulting from hormonal imbalances such as osteoporosis, diabetes, and heart disease.
Who is an Ideal Candidate?
If you think you might be dealing with a hormonal imbalance, it’s important to talk to a medical professional. They can perform some tests and confirm whether or not BHRT is right for you. It is typically recommended for women who are experiencing menopause or perimenopause. Men dealing with andropause (the male equivalent of menopause) can also benefit from BHRT.
Bioidentical Hormone Replacement at Vive
At Vive Aesthetics and Wellness, we believe that as you age, you should still enjoy the best life possible. Unfortunately, hormone imbalance can make that difficult.
Our bioidentical hormone replacement therapy starts with a consultation which includes a thorough review of your medical history. Lab work is ordered to determine and monitor your hormone levels. The dosage of BHRT will be adjusted as your hormone levels improve.
If you find yourself slowing down, losing sleep, or missing out on things you enjoy, it’s time to find out if a hormone imbalance is the culprit. Schedule a consultation, and you will work one-on-one with Julie, our nurse practitioner. Together, we will determine if BHRT is right for you and create a customized treatment plan.
