Nebraska Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy specialist, Roger J. Simpson, M.D., , is driven to educate patients on the importance of hormonal balance. Understanding what hormone therapy is will help you decide if this therapy best addresses your health concerns.
What is Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy?
Hormones are chemicals that are produced by the glands in our bodies. Hormones secrete from our glands in much the same way that sweat secretes from the pores on our skin. As hormones are released into the bloodstream, they travel to tissues and organs where they bind to specific receptor sites.
Receptor sites and hormones send messages throughout the body to perform various functions that are critical to keeping our bodies at optimum health. A balanced flow of hormones keeps us healthy and lengthens our lifespans. With age, this healthy, balanced flow of hormones can deteriorate and, in some cases, stop all together.
Hormones levels can drastically decrease as we get older, wreaking havoc on our bodies and resulting in accelerated symptoms of aging. Hormone therapy works to reestablish the way the body sends messages to organs to keep them healthy. It also helps return hormone levels to their original balance and strength. Both men and women can experience the challenges and discomforts of an imbalanced endocrine system, as well as the long-term health benefits that come with Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy.
Symptoms of Male Hormone Imbalance:
- Adult acne
- Anxiety/Panic
- Breast enlargement
- Diabetes
- Erectile dysfunction
- Fatigue
- Headaches/Migraines
- Hypoglycemia
- Impotence
- Insomnia
- Low sperm count
- Low thyroid symptoms
- Lowered libido
- Memory loss
- Mood swings
- Prostate inflammation
- Rapid weight loss
- Reduced muscular strength
- Water retention
Symptoms of Female Hormone Imbalance:
- Chronic fatigue syndrome
- Depression
- Dry skin
- Endometriosis
- Excessive weight gain
- Facial hair growth
- Fatigue/Lethargy
- Hair loss
- Headaches
- Hot flashes
- Infertility
- Insomnia
- Irregular/missed periods
- Low libido
- Osteoporosis
- PCOS
- PMS
- Thyroid dysfunction
- Uterine fibroids
How are Bioidentical Hormones Better than Synthetic Hormones?
Synthetic hormones have extra molecules that are not recognized by the body, so they are not broken down as easily by the body’s enzymes. This means that they can stay in the body longer, and over time could turn into toxins or carcinogens. The body has an easier time assimilating bioidentical hormones because they are identical in molecular structure to the hormones made in the body. This allows them to be quickly accepted and used by the body.
Bioidentical hormones fit like a lock and key with the body’s cell receptors, whereas non-identical hormones are often only partially recognized in the body and will take up cell receptor sites that they should not be attached to. Because bioidentical hormones are an exact fit to cell receptors and they mimic the body’s hormones, most patients do not experience unpleasant side effects.
Another positive side to bioidentical hormones is that they can be dosed to meet exact and specific needs. Previous forms of hormone replacement therapies prescribed the same dosage to different patients. With Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy, each person’s unique levels are considered and the exact amount needed of a hormone is prescribed.
