You feel tired, emotional, and you’re gaining weight. You can’t concentrate, you can’t sleep, and you’ve determined that maybe this is just what aging feels like. These symptoms often indicate a hormone imbalance, and there is a way to reverse them so you can regain your life and feel rejuvenated. At Optimal Health and Wellness in Pasadena, CA, we offer BHRT to help you overcome the symptoms of hormone deficiency and help you live a fuller, more vibrant lifestyle.
What Is BHRT?
BHRT stands for bioidentical hormone replacement therapy. It is an innovative treatment that has helped millions of people recover from the effects of a hormonal imbalance and achieve emotional, physical, and mental balance. It uses bioidentical hormones, most of which come from plant hormones, and administers them to the body through different delivery methods.
Because these hormones come from natural sources, they mimic the body’s hormones and blend seamlessly with the bodily systems and begin balancing the body immediately. They resolve negative symptoms and restore balance to your body and your life.
What Hormones Are Used?
The hormones utilized for this treatment all come from natural sources and contain some different hormones include testosterone, progesterone, estrone, estrogen, or estradiol. At our office, we use some of the most common naturally-derived hormones including:
- DHEA
- Estradiol
- Estriol (E2 and E3)
- Progesterone
- Testosterone
What Are the Signs of Hormone Imbalance?
The aging process and other factors can result in imbalanced hormones in both men and women alike. Some of the symptoms are obvious that your hormones need balance, but others are not so obvious. This is because the hormone system is delicate. When something is off, it can affect other bodily systems and cause issues that may not seem related to your hormones but in reality, they are. Hormone imbalance can result in some of the following symptoms:
- Weight gain
- Night sweats
- Emotional issues (anxiety, panic attacks)
- Poor complexion
- Brain fog
- Memory loss
- Changes in mood
- Insomnia
- Inability to gain muscle mass
- Body shape and composition changes
- Inability to concentrate
- Fatigue
- Hair thinning or hair loss
- Lack of energy
- Poor quality sleep
- Poor sexual performance
- Low libido
- Painful intercourse
Aside from the symptoms that accompany a hormone imbalance, certain diseases can result from an imbalanced system. Balancing your hormones can make you feel better in the short term, but this treatment also has long-term implications. It can protect your body from developing certain diseases including:
- Stroke
- Cognitive disorders
- Obesity
- Frail bones
- Cancer
- Mood changes, anxiety, and depression
- Urinary incontinence
- Heart disease
- Diabetes
How Do You Treat a Hormone Imbalance?
Until the development and regular use of BHRT, most people who experienced hormonal imbalances underwent hormone replacement therapy, also known as HRT. The difference with hormone replacement therapy, when compared to bioidentical hormone replacement therapy, is that HRT typically uses synthetic hormones to replace what’s deficient in the body, as opposed to naturally-derived sources.
BHRT vs. HRT
Synthetic hormones include synthetic estrogen and progesterone, which are often taken from the urine of pregnant female horses. HRT was initially thought to help people ward off the chances of developing cardiovascular disease, but recent studies have shown that this type of hormone therapy can do more harm than good.
It can increase the risk of developing many diseases, including breast cancer, stroke, heart disease, and thromboembolic disease. Once the risks of HRT were fully understood, specialists realized they needed something new, a change, and that something new came in the form of BHRT.
A Natural Alternative
Once the news came out about how HRT wasn’t all that it was originally cracked up to be, people started to look elsewhere, including some well-known celebrities including Dr. Phil and Oprah. There had to be something different that was just as effective but didn’t pose a threat or risk to your health. That something that everyone was looking for was and still is bioidentical hormone replacement therapy and it takes a different approach.
With this treatment, we don’t look at you in light of your blood test simply highlighting your deficiencies, but instead, we treat your whole person. At Optimal Health and Wellness, we use this therapy to treat your symptoms and your lifestyle. We walk with you through each step of the journey and make sure that you feel your best day in and day out.
What Are the Different Types of Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapies?
Bioidentical hormone replacement therapy comes in another form as well known as CBHT, which stands for compounded bioidentical hormone therapy. CBHT is different because prescriptions are mixed based on a doctor’s orders, not prescribed in standard dosages. This form allows for more precision for those who need very exact dosages based on their body and their needs.
Another difference between BHRT and CBHT is that the method used to dose CBHT is not FDA-approved, but the ingredients are. The differences between these two forms are negligible but their intent is the same: to help balance your hormones in a way that helps your body achieve optimal balance, health, and wellness.
What Are the Different Delivery Systems?
There are many different delivery methods available for the administration of bioidentical hormones. The options range from creams, gels, tablets, sprays, and pills, to injections. One method is not superior to the other because everyone who seeks this treatment has different needs, different lifestyles, and different goals.
During your consultation, once we determine that you’re a candidate for this treatment, we’ll discuss your lifestyle and your goals and develop a treatment plan and an appropriate delivery system that will make this treatment convenient and accessible for you
The Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy Difference
If you’ve unsuccessfully sought out answers regarding your hormone levels from a general practitioner, you may have undergone a blood test only to be told that your hormones are normal, you have no issue, and maybe you need more sleep. That’s the difference between seeking medical treatment for a hormone imbalance and seeking out those who understand everything involved with BHRT. Normal levels aren’t the same as optimal levels.
What’s considered to be ideal for an average person based on a standardized scale isn’t ideal for everyone. If your results indicate normal levels on a traditional scale, but you still have all of the symptoms of a hormone imbalance, your body is sending you a message that it needs something more. And we can help. Falling within a normal level on a standardized scale doesn’t mean that you feel normal or that your hormone levels are optimal.
Finding Freedom From Your Hormonal Imbalance
Despite having symptoms, “normal” results have caused many physicians to turn away those seeking help for a hormone imbalance. At our office, we have the experience, the knowledge, and a familiarity with the hormonal system and we can tell when you’re balanced and when you’re not. We have the tools to meet you where you are and we won’t judge your blood levels or your symptoms based on a standardized scale.
Treating the Whole Person
You are not your hormones. You’re a person who has hormones and when they’re out of balance, your whole being suffers. With BHRT, we treat you comprehensively. When you come in for treatment, we’ll evaluate your hormones on many different levels, including performing a blood test. Then, we’ll review your symptoms and discuss your lifestyle and your goals to create a customized treatment plan just for you.
We’ll choose the best hormone delivery system for your needs and then begin your treatment. We will also monitor your levels so that your hormones stay within an optimal range for your needs and your lifestyle. Keeping a close eye on your levels will ensure that you feel better, live free of the symptoms associated with hormone imbalances, and feel more vibrant no matter your age.
Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy FAQ’s
Is This Treatment Safe?
Bioidentical hormone replacement therapy is completely safe. It is an effective treatment that can not only balance hormone levels but can also protect the body from the diseases and health conditions associated with hormone deficiencies. It can also help relieve menopausal symptoms and protect the body from developing osteoporosis.
How Does Treatment Work?
Your journey will begin with a consultation. We will evaluate your symptoms, listen to your concerns, and perform some tests to determine whether you are a candidate for treatment.
Then, once we confirm that this therapy is right for you, we’ll develop your treatment plan and choose the delivery method that best suits your needs and your lifestyle. We’ll schedule follow-up visits to monitor your levels over time and we will be here whenever you have questions about your results or your treatment.
What Are the Benefits of Treatment?
Bioidentical hormone replacement therapy provides many benefits. For every symptom you experienced while you were deficient, you will experience the positive opposite benefit when you achieve balance. This treatment will help you in many different ways and you may notice:
- Improved mood
- Better sex life
- Mental clarity
- Increased energy
- Ability to maintain a healthy weight
- Better quality hair
- Improved complexion
- Emotional stability
- Improved quality of sleep
- Better sexual performance
- Improved concentration
- Increased muscle mass
- Overall better health and vitality
When Will I Notice Results?
Most patients begin to notice a change in some of their symptoms within the first week of beginning their treatment. Results continue to improve in the weeks following treatment as the body begins to fall into a new rhythm of balance and optimal health. The longer you undergo treatment, the more benefits you will experience and you’ll slowly start to feel like yourself again. You’ll feel more vibrant and have the energy to do all of the things you love.
Is BHRT Right for Me?
Age is often the most common reason that men and women seek out this therapy. Hormonal imbalances begin to impact women the most during perimenopause and menopause, and for men, it’s usually during andropause. However, your age can fall out of what’s considered normal and yet you can still struggle with hormonal imbalances. If something feels off in your body and you’re pretty sure it’s due to your hormones, we can help you find a resolution.
How To Learn More
If you’ve been living with a hormonal imbalance, there is a solution that can help you feel like yourself again and live a life defined by vitality, not imbalance. If you’re interested in learning more about bioidentical hormone replacement therapy, we can help. Contact us today at Optimal Health and Wellness in Pasadena, CA, and schedule your initial consultation with one of our hormone experts to learn more about this treatment and how it can change your life.
