What is BHRT?
It may also be combined with accurate blood testing of hormone levels and past medical history analysis to understand better the overall hormonal levels needed to reach a more natural hormonal balance within the body.
Hormone replacement therapy is now a widely available treatment option that’s growing in popularity among men and women over the age of 35 — specifically, those who feel run-down, are prone to weight gain (sometimes for the first time in their lives) and feel like they are out of other options when it comes to managing symptoms of menopause.
The use of hormones to help manage symptoms such as fatigue, bloating, low sex drive, and thinning hair is very controversial, and opinions vary across hormone specialists in the space. Some women swear by its beneficial effects, while others fear potential side effects.
When it comes to the effectiveness and safety of bioidentical hormone replacement therapy, studies have demonstrated great benefits.
How Does Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy Work?
BHRT aims to re-balance balance hormones in the body that have become thrown out of whack due to either age, poor diet, or a related health condition.
These hormones include estrogen (in the form of estrone or estradiol), progesterone, testosterone, and dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA). Normally, hormonal activities intertwine and require coordination with each other to perform key functions.
Certain hormones, such as testosterone, progesterone, and estrogen, naturally begin to become depleted from the body as we age, and this results in many of our body’s processes becoming adversely affected.
These hormones all play essential roles in reproductive development as well as aging and overall wellness. When these hormones become depleted, the body loses its ability to:
By introducing bioidentical hormones to the body, anti-aging specialists have found that patients have experienced a plethora of benefits. Along with a healthy diet and lifestyle, this therapy can serve as a real-life fountain of youth.
Benefits of Bioidentical Hormone Therapy
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Improve Mood and Cognition – Hormones stimulate, regulate, and either directly or indirectly modulate every system in our body.
When hormones that affect and interact with neurotransmitters responsible for releasing mood-altering chemicals such as dopamine and serotonin are depleted, patients can begin to experience symptoms such as decreased positive mood, anxiety, and depression.
Specific hormones that contribute to this are estrogen and progesterone, which both directly affect the two previously mentioned neurotransmitters and their direct release.
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Fortify Bones and Joints – Many studies have found that both testosterone and estrogen provide key signals for the fortification, building, and maintenance of strong bones and joints.
Estrogen plays a key role in the removal of build-ups and acids in joints, and this is why a common symptom of menopause can include swollen and painful joints.
This hormonal imbalance also results in a decreased ability for calcium to participate in the ossification (bone-making) process.
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Improve Energy Levels – As discussed, hormones affect every major organ and most tissues throughout the body, helping to guide and coordinate action and signal cascades that keep the body physiologically balanced.
When all hormones are balanced, the body works as it should, organs function properly, tissues are supple and resilient, and your energy-efficient metabolism runs smoothly. Conversely, the smallest variation in hormone levels can cause great, sometimes catastrophic, effects throughout the body.
And this includes the systems that generate energy and make you feel energetic. Specifically, women are very prone to these energy-depleting symptoms when estrogen and even testosterone levels become depleted.
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Improve Libido – In both men and women, natural hormone production levels begin to peak around age 30 and then slowly decrease permanently thereafter. This results in a loss of signaling for the production of key sex hormones such as testosterone, estrogen, DHEA, and progesterone.
All of these hormones, specifically estrogen and testosterone, play key roles in maintaining reproductive health and the release of pleasure chemicals responsible for stimulating arousal.
In addition to this, BHRT therapy has also been shown to reduce vaginal dryness and increase the libido of women experiencing menopause symptoms. The overall fact is that bioidentical hormone therapy can provide lasting benefits for those who are identified by a specialist and found to be able to benefit from BHRT.
Most side effects from this type of therapy are believed to originate from misdiagnosis and overdosing patients on hormones. Proper hormone treatment is administered by a professional who is regularly monitoring your hormone levels and understands dosing best practices.
However, attempting to switch to a better, more herbal-based diet along with exercise, proper rest, and management of other contributing ailments will always be recommended prior to engaging in hormonal therapy.
With all of these benefits in mind, one can see why bioidentical hormone therapy has become a popular treatment option and consideration of many hopeful patients.
While the benefits are apparent, they can only be attained by meeting with a hormone specialist and empirically determining if this treatment is the best option for you, based on hormone level testing and a review of your medical history.
The Leading Bioidentical Hormone Therapy Provider in Dallas, TX
Doctors now know that hormone imbalances like low testosterone or a growth hormone deficiency can lead to various health problems and an increased risk of several diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, some forms of cancer, and even Alzheimer’s dementia.
Bioidentical hormone replacement therapy offers the safest and most significant relief from the troublesome symptoms that are caused by age-related hormone imbalances.
Low levels of hormones or hormonal imbalances can also lead to weight gain, fatigue, mental fog, and sexual health issues in both men and women.
Dallas Anti-Aging & Wellness is a member of the American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine. Our commitment is to help our patients feel young, youthful, and energized.
We offer bioidentical hormone therapy treatments as well as highly specialized procedures designed to meet the personal needs of our patients and to reverse the effects of aging and energy loss caused by menopause or andropause.
Working with our highly trained and professional staff, you’ll be able to achieve a renewed outlook and regain the vitality of your youth. Our medical director is Dr. Escobar, a Texas licensed physician, has been practicing internal medicine for the last 25 years.
At Dallas Anti-Aging & Wellness, Dr. Escobar has experience with treating erectile dysfunction, balancing hormones with hormone pellet therapy, and has been trained in aesthetic procedures with Botox® and facial fillers.
Dr. Escobar has a warm bedside manner and spends time with his patients listening to their symptoms and is bi-lingual. He is also a member of the Texas Medical Association and the American Academy of Anti-Aging (A4M), where his training specifically focused on endocrinology.
“Since I began bioidentical hormone therapy a few months ago, it might sound like a cliché, but honestly, I look and feel at least ten years younger than before I started. I explained exactly what my problem was and what I wanted, and I was thrilled when he and the staff told me they could custom compound hormone pellets just for me. Within just a few weeks of having the pellet insertion, all of the symptoms that had been dragging me down disappeared.”
Desiree S, Ft. Worth, TX
If you would like to learn a little bit more about the many life-changing benefits of bioidentical hormone therapy, please click here to contact us today or call us at (214) 646-1523.
