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What exactly is Natural Hormone Replacement Therapy?
Natural Hormones are a precise replica of the hormones that are naturally produced by your body. The main difference between Natural Hormones and synthetic hormones is that, although the two are created in labs, synthetic hormones are not necessarily identical to the hormones naturally created in your body and Natural Hormones match your body’s hormones molecule by molecule.
So why should I use Natural Hormone Replacement?
You are likely already using several hormones. Birth Control Pills, Hydrocortisone (used for rashes), and Vitamin D in milk are all methods of hormone replacement. Over the last 100 years as we have doubled our life expectancy, the soft tissue glands which create our hormones are being required to produce them longer than ever. Our increasingly stressful lives, poorer nutrition and absence of proper fitness results in declining ranges of hormones in our bodies as well. Men and women have effectively used Natural Hormones for many years. Men struggling from the signs and symptoms of andropause or women hurting from menopause or perimenopause, can turn to Natural Hormones to replace the natural hormones that have declined as their bodies have aged. In well known medical journals, researchers have reported that the Natural Hormones, estrogen and testosterone, are not justsafe but also have a positive impact on diseases like osteoporosis and prostate cancer.
So why do women need hormones before, during and after menopause?
It doesn’t matter what your actual age, if your female hormones (estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone) are unbalanced, you may suffer ill-effects including hot flashes, night sweating, sleep problems, moodiness, depression, anxiety,loss of memory, vaginal dryness, fatigue, loss of your sex drive and also an increase in weight. Women with balanced hormones integrated with proper nutrition and fitness can have ahigher qualityof lifeas they age.
Why do men need testosterone replacement?
As men age, output ofthe hormone testosterone starts todecline and so they experience signs and symptoms of low testosterone. Testosterone is the hormone that is responsible for maintaining mental focus, energy, metabolism, muscle mass, fat levels, and sex drive. By balancing a man’s hormones with Natural Hormone therapy, men can restore their vitality and reduce the signs and symptoms ofandropause.
When should I consider Natural Hormone therapy?
Generally, your body’s natural hormones start todecline after your mid-20s and hormone imbalance symptoms are likely to bepresent by your mid-30s. Men and women often start replacing hormones between the chronilogical age of 35 and 40. If you are experiencing symptoms of hormone imbalance, it is best not to wait.
What are the side effects associated with Natural Hormones?
Because Natural Hormones have the identical molecular structure of the hormones made naturally by your body, you will find relatively few side effects. Unwanted side effectsoccur primarily when the dosage of hormone is too high for the individual.
How long until I see results using Natural Hormones?
While it varies with each individual, and depends on which hormone therapy you are using, you can expect to see results within three to six months. This amount of time is needed to allow for the proper balancing of your hormones.
What is the best age to consider Natural Hormone therapy?
Specialists believe that most people should have their hormones checked by the age of 40 or earlier if they are experiencing symptoms of menopause or andropause. The way to prevent illness and to optimize one’s health is to take an active role in addressing health care risks before they become a problem. Getting tested when you still feel good gives you a benchmark for later comparison when the inevitable happens and your hormones begin to decline.
Are Natural Hormones approved and regulated by the FDA?
The ingredients in Natural Hormones such as estrogen, progesterone and testosterone are approved by the FDA. However, state and local pharmacy boards have jurisdiction over them, not the FDA. It is very important to know you are using the finist quality compounding pharmacy and that they follow the most stringent guidelines and have excellent quality assurance.
Do I need to take these hormones forever?
Not necessarily, it depends on how well your body responds to Natural Hormone therapy. Also important, it’s how well you manage your diet, sleep patterns, exercise, and stress levels that will assist you in regaining hormonal balance. Some patients can wean off various hormones once they become balanced and have fewer symptoms of menopause or andropause.
There are also patients who can wean off adrenal and thyroid support once their adrenals or thyroid glands have healed. There is no single answer for everyone, it depends on your individual hormone stability and how well your diet and lifestyle will support everything else.
In the worst-case scenario, if you decided to stop Natural Hormone therapy, your body would return to the state it was in before initiating your program.
Will Natural Hormone Replacement interfere with my currently prescribed medications?
Generally, no. Some medicines may actually be reduced or no longer needed.
My doctor has prescribed birth control pills; are they considered hormone therapy?
Yes, birth control pills are a type of hormone therapy but are different from Natural Hormone replacement therapy. Birth control pill hormones are synthetic. Synthetic hormones have differences in their chemical structure that are not a replica of the body’s natural hormones.
How will Natural Hormones help me?
Women suffering from menopause symptoms that are looking to put an end to hot flashes, night sweats, trouble sleeping, memory loss, mood swings, weight gain, and low libido are turning to qualified natural hormone doctors to replace their natural hormones.
What is the Women’s Health Initiative?
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) established the Women’s Health Initiative (WHI) in 1991 to address the most common causes of death, disability and impaired quality of life in postmenopausal women. The Women’s Health Initiative was designed to define the risks and benefits of using synthetic hormone therapy to potentially prevent heart disease, breast and colorectal cancer, and osteoporosis in postmenopausal women.
It is important to note that the women in this study were all postmenopausal, average age of sixty-eight. This fact is significant as most of these women had 15 years since the loss of their hormones to develop diseases that estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone might have prevented. Most importantly, the study used synthetic hormones and not natural Natural Hormones.
Why don’t most doctors prescribe Natural Hormones?
Traditional doctors do not usually have the time or the resources to seek expertise in Natural Hormones.
Do I need a prescription for Natural Hormone therapy?
Yes. Natural Hormones are compounded prescription drugs that are produced in a specialized pharmacy. Each prescription is hand made from the highest quality ingredients and made by pharmacists that specialize in formulating drugs. Since every patient is unique, the strength or the dosage form needs to be specially made to fit the individual.
Will hormone therapy help with stress?
High stress levels are very common in individuals with unbalanced hormones. Regulating hormones with Natural Hormone therapy will certainly help to decrease stress levels and increase general feelings of wellbeing.
My sex drive is low, could it be my hormones?
Yes. A deficiency of testosterone, estrogen, or other types of hormonal imbalance can cause a low libido.
I have severe PMS, could it be my hormones?
Severe PMS symptoms can certainly be the result of a hormonal imbalance. Having your hormones tested can help rule out other causes.
What are the different types of delivery methods for the hormones?
There are several different ways to formulate the medications-the following are some examples:
• Capsules – A standard form of oral delivery.
• Creams – Transdermal methods are widely used to allow absorption of medicine directly through the skin.
• Triturates – Triturates are a popular form used to keep drugs in the mouth when local action is needed.They are generally placed under the tongue and allowed to dissolve, allowing the medication to enter the bloodstream quickly and easily.
• Troches – Troches are larger than triturates and are typically dissolved between the gum and cheek.
• Rapid Dissolve Tablets – Rapid dissolve tablets (RDT’s) are the newest technology in dissolvable tablets. They are larger in size meaning they can hold a larger amount of active ingredient. They are designed to dissolve on the tongue and within a very short period of time (under 30 seconds).All delivery systems come in various combinations and flavors to accommodate even our most sensitive clients.
