Bioidentical Hormone Treatment: Setting the Record Straight

In recent years, the wide variety of problems associated with hormone depletion have come into the limelight. It isn’t as though men and women didn’t recognize the onset of issues like low libido and hot flashes seemed to occur at a certain age. We’ve always had an idea of what was going on. What we didn’t know what how extensively hormones could affect general health. Moreover, we really didn’t know what to do about it.

Now we do.

If you are in the Austin area and want to gain freedom from symptoms like insomnia, weight gain, cognitive decline, fatigue, anxiety, and irregular periods or other concerns, give us a call. Now may be a great time to talk about the value of bioidentical hormone replacement therapy.

Bioidentical hormones are appropriate for men and women experiencing age-related hormonal fluctuations and decline. Additionally, BHRT is used to reduce symptoms of adrenal fatigue and thyroid conditions. You may have heard of bioidentical hormones. The problem is, much of the information that is available is confusing at best. Here, we touch on a few important details to help you become more familiar with this treatment and what it can do.

What exactly does “bioidentical” mean?

Another way of describing bioidentical hormones is to say “natural hormones.” However, there is a distinction that has to be made. For example, a common conventional hormone replacement called Premarin is “natural.” It includes an estrogen made by horses. While this is natural, it is not identical to the chemical makeup of hormones made in the human body. Interestingly enough, those that are chemically identical come from plant sources. Bioidentical hormones are made in a laboratory from phytonutrients found in vegetables like wild yam and soy. They can be customized to each patient to boost levels of any hormone, including testosterone, estrogen, progesterone, even cortisol, DHEA, and thyroid hormone.

What is the point of using bioidentical hormones vs. standard synthetic hormones?

To be clear, bioidentical hormones are also categorized as synthetic simply because they are produced in a medical lab. How they differ from non-bioidentical hormones is that they interact more efficiently with the body. Non-bioidentical hormones may, in fact, behave more like an environmental toxin when introduced into the body. As a foreign substance, the non-bioidentical hormone will leave a “footprint” that is different than expected. This could lead to:

• Toxicity in estrogen-sensitive tissue
• Hormone balance disruption
• Negative impact on the liver’s metabolic function related to hormones
• Interruption with the binding process of various hormones to their receptors

The body knows what to do; our job is to mimic natural hormone function with personalized care. Contact us today to learn more about bioidentical hormone therapy in Austin by calling 512.328.4100.