Hormones play an essential role in controlling many of your body’s processes. If you are experiencing hormonal fluctuations or symptoms associated with menopause, hormone replacement therapy could provide relief from symptoms of imbalance or symptoms of menopause.
Before choosing hormone therapy as a form of treatment, it’s essential to understand its risks and benefits as well as any alternatives available to you. In this article we’ll also look at alternatives.
Bioidentical hormones
Hormones play an essential role in our bodies and it is important that they stay balanced as we age. Women experiencing hormone imbalance may turn to bioidentical hormones as a treatment option – these natural-like hormones are readily absorbed by the body and easily tolerated as a solution. They come in tablets, creams and inserts. Bioidentical hormones have gained increasing popularity as an alternative form of HRT (hormone replacement therapy) therapy; however claims they are safer or more natural have yet to be confirmed by credible studies.
Many doctors prescribe bioidentical hormones to address symptoms associated with aging, including hot flashes, night sweats and vaginal dryness. They’re often combined with lifestyle modifications in order to minimize serious side effects; such as increasing your intake of omega-3 fatty acids and alcohol consumption while exercising regularly – although getting adequate rest and reducing stress are also useful ways to ease symptoms associated with growing older.
Most physicians rely on saliva or blood tests to measure a woman’s hormone levels before prescribing bioidentical hormones. Unfortunately, these tests cannot be relied upon due to fluctuations in hormonal levels; there’s simply no accurate way of ascertaining which dose would best serve any given patient.
Bioidentical hormones are typically manufactured from extracts of yam and soybean, mimicking the hormones produced naturally in your body. Unlike synthetic hormones like Premarin, which contains urine from pregnant horses, bioidentical hormones do not bind with estrogen receptors and therefore may reduce your risk of breast cancer.
Bioidentical hormones tend to be more expensive than their FDA-approved equivalents and more likely to cause unpleasant side effects like nausea, headaches and rashes; furthermore they may even increase your risk of heart disease and stroke in certain patients.
Healthcare providers typically advise using FDA-approved products for hormone replacement therapy. Bioidentical hormones, however, do not fall under this category and tend to contain various untested hormones that could pose greater health risks than FDA-approved alternatives.
Hormone replacement therapy (HRT)
Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) can provide relief for many climacteric symptoms like hot flushes, mood changes and vaginal dryness, while decreasing your risk for hormone-related health problems like osteoporosis and heart disease. Before beginning hormone replacement therapy it is important to discuss it with your physician, as well as other possible alternatives like herbal products or natural remedies which may not be as safe or effective.
Women just starting their menopausal journey may be uncertain about whether hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is suitable for them. They may feel uneasy using HRT after already experiencing menopausal symptoms like hot flashes, brain fog or joint pain; but if these symptoms are impairing your quality of life it may be worth exploring alternatives such as HRT.
HRT comes in two main varieties, bioidentical hormone replacement therapy (BHT) and traditional natural hormone replacement therapy. BHT comes from plants and has the same molecular structure as what your body naturally produces; traditional natural HRT uses dietary supplements containing soy, licorice root or ginseng from plants as a form of HRT treatment; these compounds help treat hormonal imbalances or depletions as well as reduce symptoms associated with menopause.
Studies have consistently demonstrated that female hormone users have lower risks of cardiovascular disease (CVD) than those not taking hormones; however, results of such studies vary and cannot be directly compared due to differences between RCTs and observational studies as regards participant selection. Recently however, Cedars-Sinai researchers provided further support for HRT being cardioprotective.
Researchers examined data from women undergoing coronary calcium scans between 1998 and 2012 who were prescribed hormone replacement therapy (HRT), specifically female birth control pills that contained hormones similar to what our bodies produce naturally. HRT appeared to reduce atherosclerosis levels. According to its creators, HRT may help this phenomenon due to being produced naturally within our bodies and providing essential protection from atherosclerosis.
Researchers note that a randomized clinical event trial should be conducted to confirm their findings. Comparing benefits and risks between medications will provide a more complete picture of their clinical utility; furthermore, comparison with other medication classes such as cholesterol-lowering drugs would also be appropriate.
Natural remedies
Some women find relief from menopause symptoms with herbal supplements and diet changes such as hot flashes, vaginal dryness, mood swings and slower metabolism through herbal supplements and dietary changes alone; however these remedies should only be used after consulting a healthcare provider first as incorrect or misuse can be dangerous; always consult with them first before trying them for your own purposes.
Many herbs and dietary supplements marketed as natural remedies for menopause have not been scientifically demonstrated to be either safe or effective, including black cohosh which has been linked with serious side effects in some women. Multiple studies have also confirmed that such remedies do not offer equal benefits as hormone replacement therapy.
Some women opt to combine hormone therapy and herbal remedies in order to minimize risk and get optimal results from treatment. For instance, they might take low-dose estrogen pills in order to ease hot flashes while using natural progesterone cream simultaneously in order to balance hormones and achieve a healthier balance during menopause.
Hormone replacement therapy alone won’t control menopausal symptoms; but other methods include eating healthily, exercising regularly and employing stress reduction techniques. A diet rich in fruits and vegetables may help to balance hormones and delay menopausal symptoms from emerging. Avoid foods high in fat or sugar as these may contribute to weight gain as well as increase susceptibility for hot flashes.
Supplements
Herbal supplements have long been touted as alternatives to hormone replacement therapy; however, many only provide limited support. Supplements may help support hormone levels if adequate nutrition and an intact endocrine system exist; additionally they may provide phytonutrients beneficial to overall health and may alleviate menopausal symptoms.
Bioidentical hormones may be the answer to symptoms caused by hormonal imbalance. By mimicking how your body naturally produces hormones that naturally decrease with age, bioidentical hormones may alleviate fatigue, insomnia, low libido and brain fog symptoms that normally arise with age. They can be found naturally such as black cohosh or compounded at pharmacies.
Hormones are chemical messengers produced in your endocrine system that work to control metabolism, sexual functions and other processes in your body. Once produced in various glands throughout the endocrine system, hormones travel via blood to receptor sites on cells or organs where they either activate or deactivate receptor sites before either activating or deactivating them.
Your doctor will likely suggest hormone therapy using estrogen and progestin in combination. This could come in the form of pills, skin patches, rings, gel or IUDs; with progestin helping prevent uterine cancer by slowing its rate of cell production which could otherwise shed into your bloodstream too quickly; furthermore it reduces fibroids, polyps and may lower chances of ovarian cancer development.
