Three of the most important factors when it comes to an individual’s overall feelings of well-being are hormones, nutrition, and mindset. While there has been an influx of information about nutrition and the need to eat well to age well – along with a greater focus on a positive mindset overall – hormones are the factor that is often left out. They simply are not thought of by many in terms of the effect they have on a person’s overall quality of life. However, when it comes to achieving a true lifestyle of wellness that optimizes aging, hormones are immensely important. Thankfully, bioidentical hormone replacement therapy (BHRT) is a great treatment option to counteract a decline or imbalance in either female or male hormones.

A LESSON IN HORMONES

Hormones are chemicals that are created by the endocrine glands. As aging occurs, hormone levels naturally fluctuate, leading to all sorts of issues like brain fog, mood swings, insomnia, decreased libido, hair loss, dry skin, sugar cravings, weight gain, and much more. Suffice it to say that when the body’s hormones are unbalanced or too low, many aspects of life are negatively impacted. This can lead to a variety of problems that amalgamate to create a less-than-desirable way of life. Unfortunately, hormone treatments have been undervalued in terms of the effect they can have on a person’s health, lifestyle, and wellness by many in the medical industry. Thankfully though, bioidentical hormone replacement offers an alternative to synthetic hormones that are considered safer and more effective.

Bioidentical Hormones

Bioidentical hormones are a variety of man-made hormones that are available and offer possible hope for living an optimized life, even when nearing or undergoing menopause. In addition, when compared to other forms of hormones on the market, many believe that bioidentical hormones are the closest one can get to real hormone replacements, naturally. In fact, bioidentical hormones are chemically identical to the ones the human body makes, hence their name, which is why they are absorbed within the body so much easier.

Estrogen 

Another beneficial hormone that gets depleted near and throughout menopause is estrogen. Decreases in this hormone can cause hair loss, dry skin, weight gain, and more. Thankfully, by replacing this hormone through bioidentical hormone replacement, improvement can be made in individuals’ skin, weight, and thickness of their hair.

Thyroid

Thyroid levels tend to decrease as aging occurs, which makes it hard to lose subcutaneous or visceral fat. Metabolism is also negatively impacted due to the decrease in this metabolic hormone. In addition, while it mostly impacts metabolism, having a poorly functioning thyroid and less of this hormone than is ideal can also cause issues with skin. Therefore, this is an important hormone to have checked when a bioidentical hormone replacement treatment plan is created.

Progesterone

This hormone is synergistic with estrogen, which makes it important to overall health. This can improve not only skin’s appearance but also symptoms of anxiety, problems with sleep, and more.

Additional Hormones

When a patient is working with a physician to create their optimal combination of hormones, sometimes, other hormones and their levels are considered as well. This includes vitamin D, which is great for skin and immunity; prednisolone, which is ideal for counteracting brain fog; and melatonin to help with sleep.

BIOIDENTICAL BENEFITS 

When a patient tries prescribed bioidentical hormone replacement, they can expect their body to perk back up after losing some of its zeal due to aging or other factors. This is a safer treatment when compared to synthetic hormone treatment and was actually created as an alternative to this type of treatment. Again, it is important to note that bioidentical hormones are created to have the exact molecular structure and chemicals as the body’s natural hormones.

While every patient will vary in terms of how they respond to this treatment, in most cases, those who try this therapy will experience the following positive results, such as increased sense of well-being and decreased depression and anxiety brought on by unbalanced hormones. They may experience better mental clarity, a stronger libido due to the improvement in overall hormonal health, and hair growth that is thicker than experienced during menopause. Additionally, patients may experience an increased ability to build muscle and lose weight. No longer will they feel as if they are running uphill and getting nowhere as their body will start to respond to their hard work as it should. Healthier skin becomes more achievable, meaning it is smoother, has more collagen, and is more youthful in appearance. Patients may experience more energy. Hormones play an immensely important role in energy levels, so optimizing them helps one feel much more energetic. Lastly, they may have reduced instances of night sweats, hot flashes, bloating, and other menopause-related symptoms.

Often, it takes a concerted effort sustained over the course of several visits to formulate the correct bioidentical hormone replacement treatment for a patient. Trial and error are key to determining what levels of hormones a patient will operate at optimally and what type of treatment is the best for their lifestyle. Patients can expect to experience some positive results from bioidentical hormone treatment within as little as a few weeks, but many others will need to continue with treatment for at least three months to get the full effect of this hormone replacement therapy.

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Reference

1. Center, 1Midlife Health. (2016). Compounded non-FDA–approved menopausal hormone therapy... : Menopause. LWW. https://journals.lww.com/menopausejournal/Fulltext/2016/04000/Compounded_non_FDA_approved_menopausal_hormone.4.aspx

Dr. Sherry Kelishadi is the in-house clinical pharmacist and director of antiaging therapies at SSK Plastic Surgery. She has been a clinical pharmacist since 2011 and has over 10 years of expertise in bioidentical hormone replacement. SSK Plastic Surgery takes pride in providing a second to none customer service experience that focuses on safety.  At a premiere plastic surgery practice, having an in-house clinical pharmacist to counsel patients on their medications and optimal antiaging therapies is the exception not the rule.