Hormone Replacement Therapy for Women

Causes of Female Hormone Imbalance

Menopause marks the end of menstrual cycles and is declared when 12 months have passed since a woman has had her last menstruation. Many women assume that the production of hormones ceases at menopause, but often it takes years for the production to completely stop. Although it ends fertility, affected individuals can stay healthy, vital, and sexual.

A number of lifestyle and environmental factors can hasten the decline in female hormone levels, including:

• Eating unhealthy foods and physical inactivity. Both of these unhealthy lifestyle habits can significantly affect hormone levels. The obesity epidemic is closely associated with early perimenopause.
• Chronic stress. Prolonged periods of stress can lead to cortisol imbalance and eventually adrenal fatigue in many women. This in turn leads to decreased progesterone levels and less effective thyroid hormone.
• Exposure to artificial hormones called xenohormones in the environment. Examples of xenohormones are exposure to plastics or pesticides from vegetables, causing excessive estrogen levels in women.

Bioidentical Hormones for Menopause & Perimenopause Symptoms

Bioidentical hormones are created to identically resemble the natural hormones secreted by the ovaries and other endocrine organs. Unlike conventional hormone therapy that uses synthetic hormones or those derived from animals, bioidentical hormones are biochemically the same as those produced by a woman’s body.

During a woman’s reproductive years, her ovaries produce major hormones, including estradiol, progesterone, and testosterone.

• Estradiol is the predominant estrogen during a female’s reproductive years; it is necessary for most reproductive and sexual functions, and it has wide-ranging effects on other organs.
• Progesterone plays one of the most important reproductive functions. It causes the endometrium (lining of the uterus) to secrete special proteins to prepare the uterus to receive and nourish an implanted fertilized egg. If implantation does not occur, during a normal menstrual cycle, the levels of estrogen and progesterone drop, which causes the endometrium to break down and menstruation.
• Testosterone is also present in a woman’s body but in smaller amounts than in men. It functions to maintain sex drive, keep bones healthy, manage pain levels, and preserve cognitive health.

An imbalance in these critical hormones can lead to unpleasant symptoms such as:

Bioidentical hormone replacement therapy (BHRT) can help women suffering from menopausal symptoms by restoring the balance of female hormone levels. They are available in a number of forms, including pills, gels, creams, patches, and vaginal rings.

Suzanne Somers: Speaking Out on Hormone Replacement Therapy in Women

Thanks to its long list of benefits, BHRT has attracted attention from a number of high-profile celebrities, including Suzanne Somers. In her book, I’m Too Young for This! The Natural Hormone Solution to Enjoy Perimenopause, Somer’s examines BHRT in-depth and offers detailed information on the studies supporting its use.

If you are planning to undergo hormone replacement therapy, you should know there are several important differences between bioidentical hormone replacement and traditional hormone replacement therapy. Bioidentical hormones are exact molecular duplicates of the hormones that are naturally produced inside the body. In contrast, traditional HRT uses analogues or hormones that are biologically active but not exact duplicates. Often referred to as “synthetic” hormones, traditional HRT makes use of other hormones that are derived from the urine of a pregnant mare. Bioidentical hormones are indistinguishable from your own natural hormones.

While the individual ingredients likely used by compounding pharmacies are FDA-approved, some of the actual finished products are not.

Prescription pharmaceuticals such as conventional hormone preparations are strictly regulated by the FDA and guaranteed to be of the same strength each time; whereas, compounding pharmacy versions of bioidentical hormones can have slightly different dosages from batch to batch.

Bioidentical hormones are typically administered in a more precise way that is tailored to each patient’s needs. A properly designed bioidentical hormone replacement program begins with an accurate assessment of the levels of all the patient’s hormones, including the three forms of estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, DHEA, cortisol, and others in order to establish baseline data. Based on these test results, a qualified BHRT doctor will prescribe exact doses of bioidentical hormones to rebalance and replenish low hormone levels.

Why Choose Genemedics Health Institute for Natural Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy for Women?

Genemedics Health Institute is one of the nation’s leading centers for natural bioidentical hormone replacement therapy. Led by nationally renowned Dr. George Shanlikian, M.D., our team of highly qualified and experienced physicians has spent hundreds of hours in training and worked with a large volume of patients to treat the many symptoms of hormone imbalance. Our programs focus more on a holistic patient approach – we do not only bring hormone levels to normal but help our patients achieve optimum health while preventing other diseases. In addition to your bioidentical hormone replacement therapy, we will design an exercise and nutrition program and even prescribe a personalized supplement regimen to make sure your body has all the essential nutrients it needs to function optimally. When it comes to your health, you can feel comfortable you’re placing your trust in the best!

If you have more questions about bioidentical hormone replacement therapy, call the qualified doctors at Genemedics Health Institute for a consultation.