When you think of estrogen and testosterone, you probably think about their effects on reproductive and sexual health. But that’s just a small part of what these hormones do. When levels of estrogen and testosterone decline, you can experience a wide range of symptoms that affect your health and quality of life.
At Integrative Medica, Jake Schmutz, NMD, helps patients rebalance natural hormone levels with bioidentical hormone replacement therapy (HRT), tailoring your treatment to your unique symptoms and health needs. Here’s what you need to know about bioidentical HRT.
HRT offers significant benefits for both women and men.
Many women know menopause comes with symptoms like hot flashes and night sweats — but that’s just the tip of the iceberg. A decline in estrogen can cause an array of problems, like vaginal dryness, urinary incontinence, weight gain, dry or itchy skin, and moodiness.
For men, low testosterone levels cause similar symptoms, like weight gain, muscle loss, sleep problems, and irritability.
Declines in hormones can also increase your risks of chronic health problems, including osteoporosis, a loss of bone mass and strength that increases your risk of fractures.
Arthritis, heart disease, diabetes, cancer, and even dementia risks can also increase as a result of a decline in hormones.
Your hormones help manage your energy levels and influence your sleep quality. When hormone levels decline, natural energy levels can drop, leaving you feeling fatigued regardless of how much sleep you get.
Hormonal decline also makes it harder to get high-quality sleep, making hormone-related symptoms even harder to manage.
Low levels of estrogen and testosterone cause a natural decline in your levels of desire, but that’s not the only effect.
Diminished estrogen frequently causes vaginal dryness that makes sex uncomfortable — some women may even experience light bleeding.
Low testosterone contributes to erectile dysfunction, making it difficult for men to attain or maintain an erection. The hormone-related decline in energy also contributes to low interest in sex.
Estrogen, testosterone, and other hormones directly and indirectly affect your metabolism — converting food into usable energy forms. When hormone levels decline, it’s harder for us to burn calories, leaving you prone to weight gain and fat accumulation.
Lower hormone levels also reduce muscle mass, making it even harder to lose and keep weight off.
Your hormones also play key roles in your mood and your ability to stay focused. As you age and hormones decline, it’s common to have increasing issues with memory or to experience a condition called brain fog — increased difficulty focusing and paying attention. Irritability, anxiety, and even depression can become more common, too.
Bioidentical HRT uses hormones derived from plant products to replace hormones your body is no longer producing on its own. These hormones are chemically identical to your natural hormones, which means your body uses them in the same way as natural hormones, reducing the potential risks of side effects.
Your HRT regimen begins with a review of your health history, a physical exam, a discussion of your symptoms, and lab tests to assess your hormone levels. These data help us prescribe the type and amount of HRT that’s ideal for you.
Bioidentical hormones are available in different forms, including pills, gels, and patches. Dr. Schmutz typically prescribes hormone pellets, tiny implants about the size of a grain of sand that are implemented under your skin during a regular office visit.
Bioidentical HRT helps replace hormones your body no longer produces, stabilizing your health and wellness and contributing to a better quality of life. To learn more about HRT and how it can help you, request an appointment with Dr. Schmutz and the team at Integrative Medica in Salt Lake City, Utah, today.
