As people age, a number of critical bodily functions begin to work less efficiently. Wrinkles start to form, and you can struggle to recover from physical activity more than you used to. One of the most essential changes that occurs, however, relates to hormone production.
Men need a healthy production of testosterone, and women require healthy estrogen and progesterone levels to feel their best, yet the production of these hormones slows down significantly with age. Although the change is most dramatic in women because they experience menopause, it impacts both sexes.
To address the various problems caused by these dips in vital hormones, there is the option of receiving hormone replacement therapy.
For years, the only choice you had was to get synthetic testosterone, estrogen, or progesterone, but now, there is another option — bioidentical hormones. Learn more about bioidentical hormone therapy and how it can help.
The Aging Process and Its Impact on Hormones
Levels of most hormones decrease with the aging process. Some of the most impactful changes occur in sex hormones. These are primarily produced by the gonads, which are the ovaries in women and the testes in men.
Estrogen and Progesterone
As women leave their reproductive years, the levels of estrogen and progesterone they produce begin to dip drastically. This leads to perimenopause, followed by menopause.
Although estrogen manages menstrual cycles and fertility, it also has a variety of other functions, including maintaining bone health and brain function and even impacting cholesterol levels.
Progesterone is essential for breast development, menstruation, and pregnancy, but it’s also important for mood regulation and thyroid function. Without a sufficient amount of these hormones, women can experience a variety of symptoms that impact daily life. These include:
- Mood swings
- Vaginal dryness
- Irregular periods
- Sleeping problems
- Hot flashes
- Night sweats
- Brain fog
- Discomfort during sex
Without appropriate hormone levels, women have a higher risk of developing osteoporosis and cardiovascular issues. Cancers are a concern, as well.
Testosterone
Although men experience less dramatic changes to hormone levels than women do, production of testosterone starts to slow down around their 40s.
The testes start making less of this hormone, which is essential for reproductive health in men and impacts everything from sperm count to the production of red blood cells and the buildup of muscle.
Declining levels of testosterone can impact men’s bodies in numerous ways. They can experience:
- Low libido
- Erectile dysfunction
- Fatigue
- Loss of muscle mass
- Increase in body fat
- Low bone density
- Breast development
- Infertility
It also impacts mood, making men who experience low testosterone levels more prone to irritability, depression, and anxiety. They can also have trouble concentrating.
Synthetic vs. Bioidentical Hormone Therapy
To address the various symptoms caused by hormonal imbalances, most people turn to hormone replacement therapy. This option allows you to replace the hormones your body is struggling to produce so that your levels can balance out once again. To accomplish this, you can rely on either synthetic or bioidentical hormones.
Synthetic Hormone Therapy
Until relatively recently, hormone replacement therapy relied only on synthetic hormones. These are structurally very similar to the ones your body makes, but they’re not identical.
They’re made in labs from synthetic sources. They tend to be less expensive and have been on the market for decades, but they often have more significant health risks associated with them.
Synthetic hormone therapy doesn’t allow for much treatment individualization because these hormones are mass-produced and have highly consistent formulations.
That can be beneficial sometimes because your doctor can have a good idea of what effects you can expect and whether they’ll interact with other medications.
Bioidentical Hormone Therapy
Bioidentical hormones are structurally the same as what your body produces. They are made from plant sources, especially yams, which are then modified to match the hormone structure. Because they’re identical to natural hormones, your body absorbs them better and utilizes them more effectively.
One crucial benefit these hormones offer is customization. Your doctor can choose compounded formulations to match your exact needs. Not only does this assist you in the process of managing symptoms, but it can help prevent complications and some of the health risks associated with hormone replacement therapy.
Being able to tailor treatment is usually the most essential benefit, and your doctor may recommend it if you’re experiencing severe hormone imbalance symptoms. Bioidentical hormone therapy tends to be a bit more expensive, but most people benefit from personalized care.
Application Options
There are various options when it comes to application, whether you select synthetic or bioidentical hormones. Some people choose topical applications, like gels or creams, while others prefer injections or pellets that are implanted under the skin and release a steady amount of hormones over time.
It’s also essential to work with your doctor to understand the type of hormones you will need. For men, this means testosterone, but women may need either estrogen-only therapy if they’ve had a hysterectomy or a combination of estrogen and progesterone if they still have their uterus.
You and your doctor will also need to decide whether continuous application is the right choice. Men typically benefit from applying testosterone every day, but women could do better with taking estrogen every day and only taking progesterone every 12 to 15 days. Your unique needs will dictate what the right option is.
Getting Relief From Hormone Imbalance Symptoms With Bioidentical Hormone Therapy
If you’ve been struggling with mood swings, muscle mass loss, brain fog, hot flashes, and a variety of other symptoms that point to hormonal imbalances, it’s time to take action.
One of the most important options you have is hormone replacement therapy, which replenishes the hormones your body is struggling to keep up with. With your doctor, you can decide on the most appropriate treatments for your symptoms.
At Nenergy Boost, we offer the chance to receive the support you need via bioidentical hormone therapy. With a consultation with one of our experts, you can begin your journey to feeling more like yourself again. Book a consultation to get started.