What is Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy?
Bioidentical hormone replacement therapy is designed for men and women whose hormone levels have dropped or become unbalanced in any way. Other conditions that BHRT can help improve are thyroid disorders, osteoporosis, and fibromyalgia. Although it is mainly used for perimenopause and menopause, men can benefit greatly from the treatment as well. BHRT comes in a variety of forms including gels, creams, injections, patches, and implanted pellets.
Depending upon your lifestyle and your doctor’s professional opinion, a specific form may be more suitable for your situation. Also, be sure to keep in mind the side effects of the treatment and how it can add to the stress on your body from your medical condition.
Bioidentical Hormones for Men
Bioidentical hormones for men can help any man that has hormone levels that are not balanced the way they should be. Symptoms of hormones being off balanced in men are exhaustion, irritability, and extreme mood swings. As BHRT is used for women’s menopause, it is also used for the male version of menopause, “andropause”. Andropause occurs when there is a steady reduction in a man’s testosterone levels as he ages. Most men will begin to experience symptoms of andropause between the ages of 35 and 40 years old. Once the symptoms set in, every day can become an uphill climb until treatment with BHRT is started to help reduce the side effects or completely eliminate them.
Bioidentical Hormones for Women
Bioidentical hormones for women greatly decreases unwanted symptoms from perimenopause/menopause including hot flashes, night sweats, mood changes, memory loss, weight gain, sleep issues and loss of interest in sex. For women diagnosed with cancer that has had to undergo treatment that changes their estrogen levels, BHRT has proven to be extremely effective in improving their quality of life. In multiple studies, women who have used BHRT found great relief from their treatment symptoms like migraines, insomnia, and incontinence. For any woman searching to eliminate cancer treatment symptoms or side effects from menopause, BHRT is an excellent option to consider.
What are the Pros of Bioidentical Hormone Therapy?
For men and women with hormones that have seemingly gone off balance due to menopause or andropause, BHRT is an excellent option to help reduce the symptoms such as exhaustion, hot flashes, and sleep troubles. Not only does the treatment help with balancing your hormones, but it also helps with the prevention of osteoporosis and side effects from fibromyalgia. Due to BHRT being a natural solution, it has become a big hit to women and men between the ages of 35 and 45 looking to help with these particular conditions. Once the treatment starts, it is a very short time frame in which the patient starts to see improvements in their symptoms.
What are the Cons of Bioidentical Hormone Therapy?
Research has on BHRT has shown that therapy can increase the risk of conditions and diseases such as strokes, blood clots, gallbladder disease, breast cancer, and heart disease. Alongside these risks for diseases, your body can also experience unwanted symptoms from Bioidentical Hormone Therapy including acne, fatigue, bloating, weight gain, mood swings and increased facial hair in women.
Before You Go
Before deciding on whether or not you should undergo therapy, always weigh out the pros and cons as per your doctor’s advice based on your health history. Even though BHRT helps reduce unwanted symptoms, it can also add to the unpleasant side effects with certain medical conditions. In order to avoid this from happening, it is critical for you to do your research and find out if the treatment is worth going through.
