What Is Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy?

As our bodies grow older, our hormone levels begin to fluctuate. These sporadic hormonal imbalances can result in weight gain, insomnia, mood swings, and other discomforts. Bioidentical hormone replacement therapy is an effective and natural method to restore your quality of life.

 

Hormones facilitate communication between cells in your body and coordinate most major functions, including your growth and development, mood, libido, and metabolism. Hormone levels often decline as a result of increasing age or events like menopause. This decline often leads to a variety of unpleasant physical, mental, and emotional symptoms.

 

Hormone replacement therapy alleviates these symptoms with artificial hormones. Bioidentical hormones come from a lab, just like the traditional type. The difference is that bioidentical hormones have the exact same chemical structure as the hormones your body produces naturally. 

 

Bioidentical hormone replacement therapy is a natural alternative to synthetic hormone therapies. The great thing about bioidentical hormones is that the structure of the hormones (both testosterone and estrogen) are matched to your individual needs. These hormones are actually natural, plant-based substances that metabolize in our bodies the way nature intended.

 

There are several different treatment methods when it comes to administering bioidentical hormone therapy, including creams, oral medications, and pellets. The specific treatment preference is the pellets because they reach a steady state in the bloodstream much better than the creams or oral therapies do. It is believed this makes them superior to oral pills and creams. However, in patients that are uncomfortable with pellets, other options such as pills and creams may also work.

 

Are Bioidentical Hormones Safe?

 

They are the safest and provide the best benefits hormone replacement therapy has to offer. From a molecular level, bioidentical hormones are the exact same hormones produced within our bodies. Most of the bioidentical hormones are plant-based and gathered from natural resources that are 100% compatible with our bodies. These plant-based hormones are used to supplement and replace your own hormone levels for optimal quality of life and health.

 

Bioidentical hormones are taken from naturally occurring sources such as plants and are engineered to mimic the chemical structure of your own hormones.

 

 

 

What Are The Signs And Symptoms Of Hormone Imbalance?

 

Hormone imbalance affects both men and women, but symptoms vary based on the specific hormones that are out of balance. Testosterone is the primary male hormone, and estrogen and progesterone are the main female hormones. 

 

Common hormone imbalance symptoms that may affect men or women include:

 

  • Fatigue
  • Mood Swings
  • Hot Flashes
  • Low Sex Drive
  • Thinning Hair
  • Depression
  • Insomnia
  • Weight Gain
  • Decreased Muscle Mass Or Tone
  • Memory Problems
  • Difficulty Concentrating
  • Sexual Dysfunction

 

These symptoms can interfere with many aspects of your life, including work performance, athletic pursuits, and romantic and social relationships.

 

 

How Do I Know If Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy Is Right For Me?

 

To determine if you’re a good candidate for BHRT, the team at Integrative Telemedicine will discuss your specific concerns and will review your medical history. They will perform blood tests to check your hormone levels and rule out medical conditions that may cause your symptoms. Then, discuss your treatment options and develop an individualized BHRT plan.

 

How Does The Bhrt Pelleting Procedure Work?

 

Bioidentical replacement hormone pellets are composed of either estradiol (a potent natural estrogen) or testosterone. Size-wise, they’re slightly larger than a grain of rice and smaller than a Tic Tac. 

 

During the pelleting procedure, the doctor will locate the ideal area for insertion, which is either in the gluteal or the flank area. The sterilize the area first before inserting the pellets, then I’ll make a small incision into that area and insert the pellet underneath the skin. The nice thing about the procedure is that the incision is so small that it doesn’t require any stitches. Typically, the incision is covered with a Steri-Strip and patients can resume their daily activities. We typically recommend that you avoid submerging the treatment area in water for about 3-4 days and avoid any heavy glute exercises for the next 3-4 days.

 

How Soon Will I See Results? How Often Will I Need Treatments?

 

Many women who receive pellets will start to feel better in about two to three days, with most experiencing changes in a week or two. Typically in men it takes a little bit longer to feel the effects of the pellets, but most men are feeling better after about two weeks.

 

As far as maintenance goes, most women will feel their symptoms returning in about three to five months. We recommend they come back around that time for their next pellet procedure. Men will typically need pellet therapy every five to six months, so it is  typically recommended that male patients come in about twice a year.

 

If bioidentical hormone replacement therapy sounds like something you could benefit from, please reach out and schedule a consultation with us — so that we can better analyze your individual needs and personalize your therapy treatment.

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