Benefits of Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy

If you’re dealing with the uncomfortable side effects of menopause or andropause, with their respective drops in estrogen and testosterone levels, hormone replacement is one way to counter the effects and bring your body back into balance.

At Regenerative MedSpa of Buckhead, Beata Grochowska, MD helps her patients in the Atlanta, Georgia area deal with the hormonal effects of aging using bioidentical hormone replacement therapy (BHRT). Here are some of the many effects of this popular and useful therapy.

Function of sex hormones

The primary reproductive hormones are estrogen and progesterone in women and testosterone in men, though both sexes contain some of both hormones. They’re responsible for many different body processes. Estrogen:

• Keeps cardiovascular tissue healthy
• Keeps blood pressure stable
• Increases HDL (good) cholesterol and lowers LDL (bad) cholesterol
• Lowers blood triglycerides
• Protects brain by maintaining proper blood flow
• Assists with memory and fine motor skills
• Protects against inflammation and disease
• Improves muscle mass and bone density
• Boosts mood by maintaining serotonin levels
• Protects nerves and stimulates nerve growth
• Maintains your reproductive health, including lubrication and libido

While testosterone:

• Regulates bone mass
• Determines fat distribution
• Helps with muscle mass and strength
• Produces red blood cells
• Maintains reproductive health, including sperm production and libido

Low levels of these hormones can lead to symptoms of menopause in women and andropause (low T) in men.

What is bioidentical hormone replacement therapy?

Replacing diminishing hormones can help ward off uncomfortable symptoms like weight gain, mood swings, low bone density, night sweats, and decreased libido in both women and men.

Bioidentical hormones are sourced from plant estrogens, but they’re chemically identical to the hormones produced in the human body. As a result, they interact effectively with the body’s hormone receptors, and they allow you to move forward with your life without the midlife glitches.

Bioidentical hormones come in a number of forms, including:

• Pills
• Pellets (testosterone and estrogen)
• Patches
• Injections
• Topical creams and gels

While the first four options are systemic — that is, they’re taken up throughout the entire body — topical creams and gels only help localized symptoms, such as lax vaginal tissue and decreased lubrication that can make sex painful.

Pellets are inserted just under the skin, where they continue to release a prescribed amount of hormone for about three to four months. After that, your provider reevaluates your hormone status; they can reimplant the pellets if you’ve responded well, or they can modify the treatment if necessary.

Benefits of BHRT

BHRT is an effective way to return your body to a more youthful state by increasing hormone levels to address the symptoms of menopause and andropause. Because the body uses the bioidentical hormones (estrogen and testosterone) just like those that naturally occur, you can ward off most of the unpleasant symptoms usually associated with getting older.

Both men and women face an increased risk for the bone-thinning disease osteoporosis when their hormone levels are low. Since BHRT restores normal levels, the bones maintain their density and strength, decreasing fracture risk.

BHRT also helps decrease the risk of heart disease for both men and women. BHRT helps with mental acuity and prevents dementia and Alzheimer's. It also helps restore youthful and robust sexual function.

If you’re struggling with symptoms of menopause or andropause, bioidentical hormone replacement therapy may be the answer you’ve been looking for. To learn more, or to schedule a consultation with our provider, call Regenerative MedSpa of Buckhead at 404-816-8557, or book online with us today.