Bio Identical Hormone Replacement Therapy
Are you interested in Bio Identical Hormone Replacement Therapy? Here are a few of the most frequently asked questions that will help get you started. Be sure to check the blog too as it is regularly updated with information about hormones, BHRT and the latest news.
What is Bio Identical Hormone Replacement Therapy?
Bio Identical Hormone Replacement Therapy or BHRT is a treatment in which decreasing hormones that were originally supplied by the body in sufficient amounts are supplemented with hormones taken orally or through other means.
10 Facts about BHRT
- Bio Identical Hormones are identical to those found in your body
- Your doctor will evaluate your personal hormone profile before prescribing the ideal hormone treatment. Each treatment is uniquely created, and the dose can be finely adjusted over time – unlike pharmaceutical HRT.
- BHRT may be safer than pharmaceutical HRT, with an increasing body of evidence supporting its use.
- There are many non-invasive ways to take BHRT supplements – orally, through gels, creams, skin patches and more.
- Bio identical hormones are most effective when paired with corresponding in-depth lifestyle changes and a full functional medicine approach.
- BHRT is useful for more than treating menopause – it’s also useful for PMS, PMDD, thyroid problems and more
- BHRT can help you enjoy improved sleep
- BHRT tends to cause fewer side effects than ordinary, pharmaceutical-based HRT
- BHRT helps even out mood instability
- BHRT helps protect you from the damaging effect of excess stress hormones
Signs that you might suffer from a hormone imbalance
Combinations of these symptoms could indicate an underlying hormone imbalance:
- Constant feeling of being low on energy
- Hot flashes
- Inexplicable mood swings
- Decreased libido
- Mildly impaired cognitive function
- Trouble sleeping
How is HRT different from BHRT?
Choose regular hormone replacement therapy and you run the risk of unpleasant side effects. With BHRT, there are no known unwanted side effects. Ordinary hormone replacement therapy is often prescribed in a one-size-fits-all way, without any consideration of the individual’s specific, unique health needs. BHRT, specifically the way Dr Alison works with it, is used in a way much more tailored to individual needs.
Most importantly, BHRT appears to entail less health risk than HRT because the hormones used are chemically identical to those naturally produced in the human body.
What is the focus of BHRT?
The focus of a bio identical hormone replacement therapy program is to restore the quality of life that a patient enjoyed prior to the onset of menopause. During menopause many women experience mind and body symptoms that range from uncomfortable to highly distressing. A woman might find herself moodier than usual, experiencing hot and cold flashes, struggling with night sweats and disturbed sleep or plagued by vaginal dryness and uncomfortable intercourse.
Bioidentical hormone replacement therapy helps balance the levels of hormones within a woman’s body to ease and decrease these symptoms. This enables the therapy recipient to return to living life the way she always has.
How do I take these hormones?
There are several methods you can use to take hormone therapy. Dr Alison will work with you to choose the method that suits your profile best. Replacement hormones can be delivered through creams, gels, tablets, skin patches, and sprays. Most often, hormone replacement therapy is delivered orally once per day. With this wide variety of choices, you are sure to find a method that will fit your lifestyle.
In bio identical hormone replacement therapy dosage and regimen prescribed must always be according to each individual patient’s unique profile. Often, blood tests or saliva tests are performed to ensure an optimal plan.
How do I know this is safe?
While bioidentical hormone replacement therapy is still awaiting clinical trials that will confirm its safety, thus far the evidence has strongly suggested it is safe. The hormones used in bioidentical hormone replacement are chemically identical to those produced by your body, so it’s a much more natural treatment than traditional hormone replacement.
How does it work?
As a woman enters menopause, whether naturally or surgically due to a hysterectomy, oestrogen production in the body slows. BHRT balances those hormones again so that the symptoms associated with menopause will be reduced or eliminated. BHRT isn’t only useful for treating menopause – it’s useful for any condition where underlying hormonal imbalance is the cause. The ultimate goal of BHRT is to improve women’s quality of life.