Estrogen is an excitatory hormone, created in the ovaries and in fat tissue. Such excitatory hormones act as stimulators within the body. As estrogen levels decline in menopause, stimulating vs. inhibiting hormones get out of whack, affecting every aspect of bodily function. Bioidentical hormone replacement therapy can help balance your hormones naturally and restore harmony to your body. Contact an experienced doctor to discuss your options regarding menopause and hormone replacement therapy.
Hormones affect neurotransmitters, the brain chemicals allowing information to spread from the brain throughout the body. One such neurotransmitter is serotonin, which influences mood. Many antidepressants work by raising serotonin levels. While estrogen and progesterone – female hormones produced in the ovaries – affect reproduction, they also play a role in memory and cognition.
Estrogen reduces the risk of Alzheimer’s disease, osteoporosis, and depression. As women go through menopause, the amount of this excitatory hormone in the body drops significantly.
While hot flashes and night sweats are primary symptoms of menopause, there are far less obvious changes going on in a woman’s body often brushed aside as the result of aging. These changes are not the result of aging per se. They are the result of a loss of estrogen.
Bioidentical hormone replacement therapy helps restore the hormone balance a woman had prior to menopause. In fact, this hormone imbalance affects the most important organ in any human body – the brain, and brain chemistry.
If a menopausal woman is suffering from depression, anxiety or a general case of “the blues,” she may receive a prescription for an antidepressant. While the medication may lift her spirits, it is likely her negative mood results from a hormonal imbalance. Bioidentical hormone replacement therapy, custom-tailored for each patient, does more than relieve depression.
Along with reducing the risk of dementia and bone loss, it can help prevent various serious diseases, including macular degeneration and diabetes. Estrogen also alleviates quality of life issues, such as loss of libido or vaginal dryness. Other conditions indicative of a hormone imbalance include insomnia, fatigue, and lack of energy.
Bioidentical hormones are not the same as synthetic hormones. The latter, primarily made from “conjugated equine estrogens,” better known as pregnant mare’s urine, is basically an off-the-shelf product. Synthetic hormones have been linked to an increased risk of heart disease and breast cancer, so many women understandably steer clear of them. That is not the case with bioidentical hormones.
Derived from plant sources, especially wild yam and soy, bioidentical hormones possess the same molecular properties as hormones found naturally in a woman’s body. They do not increase the risk of cancer or heart disease – in fact, bioidentical hormone replacement therapy can lower a woman’s risk of cardiovascular issues.
Bioidentical hormone replacement therapy can help a woman feel like herself again. It does not happen overnight, but over a period of months, with regular monitoring, a woman will feel better physically, mentally, and emotionally. Tests for the proper hormone levels may consist of blood, saliva, or urine samples. Because bioidentical hormone replacement therapy takes a holistic approach to personal health, the doctor will also devise a diet and exercise plan for each patient, along with recommending specific nutritional supplements.
If you would like more information about bioidentical hormone replacement therapy and correction of hormone imbalances, call Dr. Edward Jacobson’s office today and arrange an appointment.