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bio-identical hormone therapy
What is Hormone Optimization?
For both men and women, hormones act as essential communicators between cells in our bodies and are responsible for regulating many of our bodies’ functional systems. However, as we age, our hormones begin to change or become imbalanced. Many people explore hormone optimization as a potential solution. Renewed Vitality and Wellness is committed to offering the best hormone replacement therapy options for both men and women. If your body is simply not producing the hormones as it should, HRT or TRT can be an option for you.
Understanding Hormones
Hormones guide our bodies through many important functions, such as growth, metabolism, and reproduction. They are produced by glands that make up the endocrine system, and they are constantly sharing information with organs that tell them how to behave, when to activate, and how to expend energy (and for how long). If we didn’t have hormones, we wouldn’t know when to eat or sleep, or when to stop.
Many things can affect or inhibit hormone production, including age, health conditions, and chemical interference. While regular shifts in hormones throughout the day and during various physiological cycles, persistent and irregular imbalances can present health problems. Too little or too much of any hormone can wreak havoc on the body and create unpleasant side effects.
The organs that produce hormones and make up the endocrine system include the reproductive organs (testes and ovaries), pituitary gland, pineal gland, thyroid gland, hypothalamus, parathyroid, thymus, pancreas, and adrenal gland. These glands produce different hormones for different targets, sending these hormones into the bloodstream to reach their intended destinations. Disruptions in the endocrine system can alter the amount of hormone reaching the bloodstream or being delivered to the cells and organs that require them.
Sometimes chemicals in our environment can also affect the function of the endocrine system. Aptly named, these endocrine disrupters are linked to adverse effects in hormone production and other functional systems. Unfortunately, these chemicals are difficult to avoid – they are found in everyday products such as plastic bottles, cosmetics, toys, and detergents.
Why do Hormone changes occur?
Hormone changes can occur for several reasons. The endocrine system generally declines in functionality as part of the aging process. Even if hormone levels stay the same, the receptors for those hormones become less sensitive as we get older. However, most of the time, the issue is with a decrease in the levels of hormones as we age.
Health conditions can also affect hormone production. Diabetes is one of the most common endocrine disorders. In this disorder, the pancreas does not produce the right amount of insulin. Conditions that cause poor circulation can also impair endocrine function, as hormones rely on a healthy blood supply to reach their targeted locations in the body.
Female Hormones
Women have a unique set of hormones for navigating life changes such as menstruation, pregnancy and birth, and menopause. The latter receives a good bit of attention because the symptoms can be frustrating, and at times, even dangerous. During menopause, the ovaries slow their production of estrogen and progesterone, which has a number of side effects.
As these hormones decline, the pituitary gland tries to overcompensate. It produces an excess of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH). To navigate this cycle, many women choose to explore hormone replacement therapy (HRT) to ease their way into menopause. At this time in a woman’s life, it is more important than ever to be living a healthy lifestyle and listening to the body’s needs.
For women experiencing hormonal imbalances, symptoms will vary. However, the most commonly reported symptoms include hot flashes, insomnia, fatigue, and even depression. Osteoporosis is a complication of the hormonal changes during menopause, so it is important to have regular screenings during this time.
Male Hormones
While the term “male menopause” gets thrown around quite a bit, this isn’t exactly an appropriate description of the hormonal changes men experience as they age. Only some men experience what is called andropause, which is a decline in testosterone production. Men who are concerned about their testosterone levels can have our Provider order a test to measure production.
Commonly experienced symptoms for men include a decrease in muscle mass, loss of cognitive function, erectile dysfunction, low libido, and loss of energy. Similarly to women, supportive self-care is important, as depression and fatigue are side effects of testosterone loss. Also as for women, osteoporosis is a risk for men at this time, so bone density screenings are important.
The Goal of Optimizing Hormones
The goal of hormone optimization is to assess whether hormone levels in the body are below their optimal threshold and, if so, to treat this by developing a plan to improve hormone function. If your body is simply not producing the hormones as it should, HRT could be an option. This treatment can either supplement under-produced hormones or replace them altogether.
Bioidentical hormone replacement therapy (BHRT) is a form of HRT that uses hormones that are chemically identical to the ones naturally produced by our bodies. While traditional HRT uses synthetic or animal-derived hormones, BHRT uses only those that are plant-derived. BHRT has been shown to improve well-being in several areas, but especially in restoring balance to the endocrine system.
