Regenerative Medicine News and General Information
Bioidentical Hormone Therapy FAQs
Sep
Hormones are your body’s chemical messengers. They travel in your bloodstream to tissues or organs. They work slowly, over time, and affect many different processes, including:
- Growth and development.
- Metabolism – how your body gets energy from the foods you eat.
- Sexual function.
- Reproduction.
- Mood.
Endocrine glands, which are special groups of cells, make hormones. The major endocrine glands are the pituitary, pineal, thymus, thyroid, adrenal glands, and pancreas. In addition, men produce hormones in their testes and women produce them in their ovaries.
Hormones are powerful. It takes only a tiny amount to cause big changes in cells or even your whole body. That is why too much or too little of a certain hormone can be serious. Laboratory tests can measure the hormone levels in your blood, urine, or saliva. Your health care provider may perform these tests if you have symptoms of a hormone disorder. Home pregnancy tests are similar – they test for pregnancy hormones in your urine.
Types of Hormones
- Steroid hormones: Tthey bind to receptors in either the cytoplasm or nucleus of the cells. Examples are those produced in the gonads, such as estrogen, progesterone and testosterone.
- Peptide hormones: Tthey bind to receptors on the cell surface. Examples of these types of hormones are insulin, glucagon, leptin and oxytocin.
- Amine hormones: Tthey are derived from amino acid tyrosine and include adrenaline, thyroxine and triiodothyronine.
How are bioidentical hormones different from others?
Bioidentical hormones are different from those used in traditional hormone replacement therapy (HRT) in that they’re identical chemically to those our bodies produce naturally and are made from plant estrogens. The hormones used in traditional HRT are made from the urine of pregnant horses and other synthetic hormones.
Some prescription forms of bioidentical hormones are pre-made by a drug company. Other forms are custom-made by a pharmacist based on a doctor’s order. This is called compounding. At our clinic we offer custom-made hormones that will make sure that you get the right dosage and obtain the best results.
Can hormones help with weight loss?
Receiving customized bioidentical hormone replacement therapy identifies the root cause of the hormone imbalance, which leads to better treatment of your symptoms. Some benefits that you can get from the therapy are:
- Assisting in weight loss by replacing the sex hormones which are low in the body.
- Lowers the risks of osteoporosis, heart disease, side effects associated with menopause symptoms, and other hormone imbalance issues.
- Restores the energy in your body by increasing muscle mass and strong bones.
- Improves overall quality of life.
- Boosts libido and improves sex life.
How do hormones aid in weight loss?
Sex hormones like testosterone, estrogen and progesterone are sex hormones produced by both men and womean that regulate weight. Testosterone found in men breaks down fat stored, especially in the abdomen. Estrogen helps with women’s appetite and cravings. And progesterone aids in converting fat stored in the body into energy. When these hormone levels become low or unbalanced, weight management becomes hard, hence weight gain or loss.
Can bioidentical hormones have side effects?
As with any medication, side effects are a possibility. At our clinic one of our physicians will perform an evaluation to decide the appropriate dosage for you. Some people may experience mild side effects that include:
- Bloating.
- Acne.
- Cramps
- Headaches.
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