Understanding Hormone Replacement Therapy

Hormones are substances produced in the body and distributed through the bloodstream.  They influence many activities in the body, including growth and the health of the nervous system.  If you notice physical changes or shifts in your mood that cannot be explained due to other health issues, there is a good chance that you need hormone replacement therapy.

What is Hormone Replacement Therapy?

Also known as HRT, this type of therapy is designed to augment whatever hormones the body is no longer producing in sufficient quantity.  The goal is to restore those balances and maintain them in a normal range.  For many people, using this method to correct a hormone imbalance is a true lifesaver.  Without it, the level of physical and mental discomfort can be so great that life may not seem worth living.

What Issues Will the Therapy Correct?

Since the goal is to restore a proper balance of hormones, just about every part of the body is impacted.  For example, you may find that the days of being even-tempered have flown out the window.  Instead, things that never used to cause you to bat an eye now make you so angry that you can’t see straight.  With the right approach to replacement therapy, you’ll once again be able to overlook those little things and enjoy life.

The therapy is often helpful for women going through menopause.  Assuming the dosage is at the right level, dealing with the pain that comes with hot flashes will be a thing of the past.  Mood swings will also become less frequent and intensive.  Since an imbalance can negatively affect cognition, you’ll find that the therapy helps you focus more easily on tasks and feel confident in your ability to handle whatever comes your way.

Men and women alike are likely to experience intimacy issues when the hormones are out of balance.  With the use of estrogen replacement therapy or HRT testosterone to bring the levels back into a healthy range, whatever lack of desire or performance is present will fade away.  Given enough time, it will be possible to enjoy intimacy to the fullest once more.

How is the Therapy Done?

There are three main ways that this type of therapy is administered.  Topical gels are one option.  Patches can also be worn discreetly under the clothing.  There is also the option of taking injections at the doctor’s office.  

In order for the hormone replacement therapy to be effective, it must be conducted in full compliance with your doctor’s orders.  Attempting to deviate from the routine will only cause a setback.

If you are not feeling like yourself and wonder why everyone is getting on your nerves or you no longer have any interest in intimacy, talk with your doctor today.  Don’t leave out anything that seems to have changed.  While there is the need to rule out other types of health issues, the doctor can order blood tests that will determine if you have some type of hormonal imbalance.  

If an imbalance is present, rest assured there is a treatment that will work for you. Remember to report any unpleasant side effects to your doctor, since an adjustment in the dosage may be needed.  In less time than you thought possible, you will feel better and also find that you once again enjoy all the things that used to give you so much pleasure.

What Happens When You Increase Testosterone?

Many people are living with low levels of testosterone and don’t know it.  This is true for women as well as men.  While considered to be the male hormone, women also need a certain level of testosterone in order to enjoy the best possible health.  Along with knowing how to increase testosterone levels, it pays to recognize what benefits take place as the hormone imbalance is corrected.  Here are some examples.

Your Mood is More Balanced

Hormones play a major role in the way you feel and how you look at your life.  If the body is not currently producing a sufficient amount of testosterone, the possibility of experiencing mild to moderate depression is a real possibility.  Some people will notice they become irritable for no apparent reason, or begin to experience anxiety attacks.

As approaches like Hormone Replacement Therapy are used to bring levels back in a normal range, you will notice that it's easier to feel good about yourself.  Those little things that were getting on your nerves are no longer a big deal.  Instead of dreading the dawn of another day, you begin to look forward to whatever it may bring.

Concentrating is Easier

Once the therapy is underway, you’ll begin to notice that concentrating on tasks at home or at work is not such a chore.  The days of having to read a page a second time to keep up with the plot are over.  From getting more from watching the news to understanding the directions that come with your new smart phone, getting the hang of handling a project will be easier.

Desire Returns

As you work with your doctor to learn how to increase testosterone safety, one of the things you are likely wondering about is your libido.  It is not true that the desire for intimacy has to go away with age.  As you make use of HRT as part of the treatment process, you may find that your spouse or romantic partner is beginning to look quite fetching indeed.  It will be great to feel some of that old excitement returning again.

Your Performance Improves

Gradually getting your testosterone levels back in a reasonable range will not just boost your desire.  You’ll also feel more capable in terms of engaging in sexual activity.  For men who have experienced erectile dysfunction or women who find that they don’t respond the way they used to, balancing the hormones will make time spent with a partner more enjoyable than it has been in a long time.

Fat Goes and Muscle Returns

As you and your doctor decide how to increase testosterone in your case, look forward to losing some of those extra pounds.  Part of the reason is your energy level will pick up and you’ll want to get up and do more.  

Another part has to do with the effects of HRT testosterone on your body.  Augmenting whatever is already being produced makes it easier to build muscle mass.  For men, this means building muscle becomes easier than it has been in some time.  For women, it means the muscles are more toned and respond better when challenged.    

Remember that most of the effects of low testosterone are also associated with other ailments.  Even if you think it might be a long shot, talk with your doctor and arrange for your levels to be tested early in the day.  Depending on the results, you may find that replacement therapy is just what you need to get your life back on track.

Options exist for hormone treatment

There are many reasons that hormone levels in men and women may become imbalanced. Unfortunately, such changes are not isolated to old people. Changes in hormonal levels are seen in people as early as their 30s and occasionally earlier.

For women, the 40s are often when changes in hormones occur. As women age, the ovaries produce less of the hormones progesterone and estrogen. This decrease in hormone production often leads to unpredictable menstrual periods, irritability, anxiety, changes in mood, tension and feeling overwhelmed.

Other hormonal changes that may occur could be related to the thyroid. As your thyroid ages, it can begin to function less effectively and either produce too little or too much of the thyroid hormones. According to Dr. Daniel Einhorn,an endocrinologist at Scripps Memorial Hospital La Jolla, California:

“Thyroid disease, generally, comes in two flavors: over- (hyperthyroidism) and under-active (hypothyroidism). The symptoms of hyperthyroidism — including weight loss, rapid heartbeat, insomnia, irritability, heat intolerance and a constantly ‘wired’ feeling — generally catch women’s attention sooner than those of hypothyroidism. A common cause of hyperthyroidism is Graves’ disease, an autoimmune disorder of the thyroid.

“An under-active thyroid, called hypothyroidism, however, is a whole different story.

“The symptoms are usually mild and non-specific, so it’s easy to attribute them to many other things ... like menopause, for instance,” Einhorn wrote.

According to the U.S. National Library of Medicine, an under-active thyroid can lead to fatigue, brain fog, irregular menstrual periods, weight gain, depression, constantly feeling cold and even hair loss.

A BIOIDENTICAL APPROACH

Bioidentical hormone replacement can be used, specifically for women, to help mitigate the symptoms of general hormonal imbalance in addition to menopause and perimenopause symptoms.

Dr. Charla Blacker, a reproductive endocrinologist at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit explains, “Unlike conventional hormone therapy that uses synthetic hormones or animal-based hormones that are slightly different from a woman’s own hormones, bioidentical hormones are biochemically the same as those made by the ovaries during a woman’s reproductive years.”

HORMONE THERAPY

Hormone replacement therapies are medications containing female hormones to replace the ones that a woman’s body no longer makes. Typically, hormone replacement therapies consist of a combination of estrogen plus progestin and are made from synthetic hormones or animal-based hormones that are slightly different from a woman’s own hormones. They are commonly available in tablets, transdermally (through the skin); subcutaneously (a long-lasting implant) and vaginally.

Until recently, the combination of estrogen and progestin made up most hormone replacement therapies and was considered to be an effective treatment for menopause. However, side effects of hormone replacement therapy have led many people to seek other options.

Known side effects of hormone replacement therapy include breast cancer, blood clots, stroke and heart disease. The risks and benefits of hormone replacement therapy need to be weighed individually and in conjunction with your doctor.

WOMEN’S HEALTH INITIATIVE

In 2002, the Women’s Health Initiative study brought to light concerns about hormone replacement therapy. It was a randomized, controlled clinical trial of hormone replacement therapy and is one of the most definitive, far-reaching clinical trials of post-menopausal women’s health ever undertaken in the U.S.

While the Women’s Health Initiative study has shown that hormone replacement therapy has had life-threatening risks, research is still being conducted on some of the potential benefits. The beneficial effects on colorectal cancer risk and large colon adenomas are still of interest to researchers and the medical community.

Bioidentical Hormone Replacement is thought to be effective in helping to regulate hormones without the side effects of the therapies using synthetic ingredients. Unlike conventional hormone therapy, bioidentical hormones are thought to be biochemically the same and have the same molecular structure as those made by the ovaries.

Bioidentical hormone therapy has been supported with sufficient trial data that warrants a look. If you are interested, you can research the web and try speaking to your local pharmacist who may be educated in preparing bioidenticals.

Excerpted from: http://www.vaildaily.com/opinion/21754356-113/vail-daily-column-options-exist-for-hormone-treatment