Bioidentical Hormone Therapy

An Overview

Click to jump to Women, Men, or Pellet Therapy.

If Your Hormones Aren’t Right, Then You’re Not Right

Your hormones are really, really important. Hormones are not just “icing on the cake” – they control everything about your body both day-to-day and over your whole lifetime. If your hormones aren’t right, then you’re not right.

Think of it this way: your body has two ways of sending messages – electrical (your nerve hookups to your muscles and organs) and chemical (natural hormones that enter your blood every split second and float downstream landing exactly where they should and controlling all your organs, all the time).

If your body’s electrical system goes out, then you notice it right away – you can’t move your hand, for example, or you can’t walk steadily. But if your hormone system doesn’t work right, you won’t notice it immediately. You may blame it on getting older, or stress, or longer work days, or whatever. As your energy level declines, as you lose focus and motivation, as you develop hot flashes and mood changes, you wonder what happened to your zest. You’re just surviving, not really living fully.

The loss of your hormones changes you – you’re not the vital person you once were or who you want to be. You’re uncomfortable, unhappy with yourself and others, quite likely unhappy with your sexual relationships,  and you’ve lost your drive and “groove.” Again, no matter how healthy you think you are in terms of fitness, weight, and exercise, only hormone replacement will correct your loss of hormones. Without your hormones, you’re not right.

Why Use Only Bio-Identical Hormones?

Bio-identical hormones are just that – identical to your body. Made from soy and yams, they are exactly the same molecular structure and perform exactly the same functions as your body’s own natural hormones. The body recognizes bio-identicals and uses them perfectly. The correct messages are sent to support the body’s functions and tissues. There are no false messages and very minimal side effects. Exactly the right dose for each individual can be compounded and given. But, with synthetic hormones, you have to use the manufactured dose – you have no choice.

Bio-identical hormones are the only real choice for restoring your natural hormone balance and revitalizing your life. Bio-identicals have been extensively studied and used for over 70 years. When properly administered by trained physicians, bio-identicals return the body to normal hormone levels and restore a sense of vitality and well-being. Proper care with bio-identicals is a safer and healthier alternative to synthetic hormones.

Synthetic Hormones – Proceed With Caution

Hormones manufactured by pharmaceutical companies are not bio-identical. They are synthetic imitations of the major hormones like estrogen and testosterone. Some common versions are EstraTest, PremPro, Premarin and Provera. They are redesigned chemically to be swallowed or rubbed on the skin – but your natural hormones work from the inside, not the outside. These intentional changes by the drug companies allow for patenting and marketing the un-natural hormone to generate significant profits. Drug companies can’t patent a bio-identical structure – therefore no profit.

Synthetic hormones offer only a partial temporary fix for the symptoms of hormone deficiency. These products are not the same as the hormones made by your body. Consequently, they sometimes send the wrong message, or don’t send a message at all to certain parts of your body. This creates the potential for other serious health issues.

The FDA has approved synthetic hormones for a number of years. However, during that time, countless reports of significant side effects have been published in scientific journals and in the popular press. Here are a few of the synthetic hormone side effects that drug companies are required to disclose:
• increased risk of cervical and breast cancers
• increased risk of stroke and heart attack
• migraines
• high blood pressure
• loss of bone density
• increased risk of blood clotting

Resources

We’ve put together a list of some of the best books on this subject of bioidentical hormone replacement. Check them out below:

The Miracle of Bio-Identical Hormones, 2nd Edition
Michael E. Platt M.D.

Ageless: The Naked Truth About Bioidentical Hormones
Suzanne Somers

Testosterone for Life
Abraham Morgentaler, M.D.

Natural Hormone Replacement for Men and Women – How to Achieve Healthy Aging
Neal Rouzier M.D.

Hormone Replacement for Women

Menopause – Before, During, and After

The major female hormones -estrogen, testosterone, and progesterone – change constantly over your entire life.  Is menopause a natural part of aging? Yes, but the symptoms of menopause are very distressing and anything but natural. No woman should have to suffer through these years.

Menopause is not a medical illness. It is the permanent end of menstruation and fertility and typically occurs between ages 45 and 55. At this point, production of estrogen has stopped and testosterone has reached a very low level.

But beginning several years before menopause (2 to 8 years) is the time span known as perimenopause. This is the slowdown period during which the ovaries gradually, or sometimes in an erratic pattern, produce less and less estrogen and testosterone. During this transition period, many women will experience some or all of the following symptoms:

• wild fluctuations in estrogen levels
• irregular periods or heavy periods
• mood swings and depression
• hot flashes and night sweats
• fuzzy thinking
• headaches
• weight gain

This is a disruptive, stressful and uncertain time for women. Enjoyment of life can decline and the difficulty of coping can greatly increase. Medically, this is a time of great hormone imbalance because only small, ineffective levels of hormones can be produced by the ovaries and “good” levels cannot be reached.

Menopause marks that point when the woman has not had a period for a year. All estrogen production has stopped and only a tiny production of testosterone remains. With total absence of hormone function, the previous symptoms of moodiness and sweating and hot flashes may worsen. Additionally, the permanent lack of hormones leads over time to other symptoms:

• sleep problems
• increased abdominal fat
• vaginal dryness
• loss of sex drive
• thinning hair and loss of skin tone
• loss of bone calcium

Choose Wisely:  Bio-identical Hormones

Menopause may be a natural consequence of having birthdays, but just because it’s happening with aging doesn’t make it feel any better – the result is the same! On some days, the symptoms are just overwhelming and unbearable.

There’s nothing natural about feeling tired and foggy, having hot flashes and sweating, losing interest in sex, and dragging through the day. That’s unnatural, whether it occurs with aging or whether it’s related to female surgery, medications, or necessary medical treatments.

If this describes you, in part or in whole, don’t resort to synthetic pharmaceutical hormones. These hormones are artificial and cumbersome, they won’t restore your balance and they will increase your risk of cardiovascular problems and cancer.

You owe it to yourself and others close to you to see a real doctor, have time to tell your story, receive a full evaluation and get medically sound and tailored treatment. Bio-Identical Hormone Therapy is the safest, most effective, long-lasting solution. While relieving your menopausal symptoms, you can also experience an increased quality of life on many other levels.

Hormone Replacement for Men

In Men, Poor Sex Frequently Is The Wake-up Call

Hormone therapy isn’t just for women. Men need hormone replacement too. It is common for women to have a rather sudden decrease in hormones, whereas in men, the decline is just as real, but it is much more gradual. This slow steady decline means that men frequently don’t even recognize that they have a hormone problem until they have a problem with sex – usually a problem with getting and maintaining an erection.

Testosterone is the essential and vital hormone for men. Testosterone defines manhood, but it is also central to overall good health in men. Men are living longer, more active lives and in addition to sexual support, they need the important support that testosterone gives to all the major body functions including the brain, blood production, bone mass and muscle strength, cardiovascular system, and metabolism.

The symptoms of low testosterone and related issues in men include:

• fatigue and loss of energy
• muscle loss
• loss of strength
• lack of endurance
• weight gain around the mid abdomen
• loss of libido
• poor erections
• night sweats and sleep problems
• irritability
• depression
• foggy thinking and poor cognitive function
• lack of motivation

Longer, Fuller Lives Require Hormone Support

Often, men who complain of energy loss, constant tiredness and lack of drive are led to believe by their physicians that all of these problems are just part of getting older and that as such they should just be expected and tolerated. But, men (and women) are working longer now, still supporting spouses, children and grandchildren well into their 60’s and 70’s. For them to accept these symptoms, rather than treat them, will have a negative impact on their work, on their relationships and on the length and quality of their lives.

Proper hormone replacement therapy in men can have a dramatic impact. When your hormones aren’t right, nothing is right. Your life is out of balance. Life is an uphill slog.

Andropause or “Manopause” – The Big Slowdown

In all men, there is a gradual decline in hormone production with age. Beginning at age 30, hormone production begins to slow and hormone levels fall by 1-3 % each year until age 40 to 55. At this point, around midlife, the testosterone levels fall more rapidly and this steeper decline is referred to as “andropause” or “manopause” – the male equivalent to menopause.

Men awaken to the problem when their sex life deteriorates, they get a “belly,” they lose their “get up and go,” and they become moody and depressed. They just are not themselves anymore. But, this is a problem that men do not have to live with. With proper evaluation and bio-identical hormone therapy, coupled with modest exercise and weight control, these men can “push back” against aging. They can feel and act younger and more energetic, reconnect with sexual relationships, and get their lives back on track.

Individualized Therapy For Maximum Benefit

Every man’s situation is different and the symptoms and ages will vary, but as medical specialists, we at Exceed Hormone Specialists are positioned and qualified to evaluate each individual and determine whether hormone replacement is needed and is likely to be beneficial. As men age, they all experience physical, mental and emotional changes. These changes can be subtle and gradual.

The changes can involve both sexual function and general functions such weight gain, depression, loss of energy and motivation, and lack of interest in life. Any or all of these can signal a need for testosterone therapy.But other medical issues could also be present. Only proper evaluation and testing by experienced physicians can find the right answer.

At Exceed Hormone Specialists, we assure you of a full and complete evaluation. We also understand the importance of maintaining youthful hormone levels as you age, so you can continue to experience life to the fullest. Tailoring your bio-identical therapy just for you can offer you the greatest benefits of hormone therapy:

• improved sexual drive
• improved erections
• more muscle mass and capacity for getting in shape
• increased energy, focus and concentration
• less moodiness
• the sense of well being

Pellet Therapy

Our Hormone Replacement Method

The safest, simplest, most effective and longest lasting technique for hormone replacement is  the use of tiny pellets that are placed just under the skin. In that location, the natural blood flow around the pellets continuously supplies the body with the correct amount of hormones. The blood levels of the hormones remain constant at youthful values without the need for daily application, or weekly injections. Additionally, there is no “roller coaster” effect from the repeated daily use of pills or creams – high in the mornings and low at night.

Hormone replacement using pellets has been used for over 70 years. It is particularly useful in women in the period just before, during, and after menopause because the body then has a continuous permanent need for hormone replacement. Pellet therapy is also ideally suited for men for the same reason. Once a man’s testosterone has declined to levels where treatment is needed, it does not naturally recover, and continuous replacement is necessary.

Benefits of Bio-Identical Pellets

• Small, precise doses of exactly the right hormones being released and controlled by the body moment to moment – more when more is called for, less when less is needed, so fewer if any side effects.
• Continuous release 24/7/365 with ongoing therapy
• No “roller coaster” response and no side effects from daily, weekly, or monthly treatments
• Consistently the best treatment choice – clearly superior to pills, creams, and injections in terms of sexual function, mood, breast health, brain function, cholesterol control, and bone strength
• Typically lasts 3 to 6 months
• Technique based on science, not guesswork

A Clear Choice – Choose Vitality Over Struggling

Women and men do not have to struggle and suffer from the imbalances brought on by menopause and “manopause.” When your hormones aren’t right, nothing is right – not your body or your moods or your relationships. Fortunately times have changed and are still changing. More and more physicians are aware that treating symptoms is not the same as treating people. There is growing awareness among patients and doctors of the great value of hormone replacement for returning vitality to the aging process and the total health picture.

At Exceed Hormone Specialists, our doctors are on the cutting edge of hormone and sexual management. We have the right attitude, the right expertise, and the right approach to greatly improve your daily enjoyment of your greatest gift – a life well lived.