Bio-Identical Hormone Replacement Therapy

Things to consider before beginning treatment

Thinking about beginning hormone replacement therapy? Here’s what you need to know before you decide.

There are many benefits to hormone replacement therapy. Hormone replacement therapy increases estrogen levels that have been shown to minimize the effects of aging. There are also important things to consider before beginning therapy. Your physician can help you decide if hormone replacement therapy is right for you.

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As You Age Estrogen Levels Decrease Naturally

Benefits of HRT

Hormone replacement therapy may:

Relieve hot flashes and night sweats
Help you sleep better
Ease vaginal dryness and itching
Make sex less painful

Its effects on your health after menopause may be even more important. Studies show that HRT can:

Help prevent fractures caused by osteoporosis (thinning bones)
Make some women less likely to have heart disease
Lower your chances of dementia

In addition to therapy there are things you can do on your own to naturally manage your estrogen levels.

While you can’t prevent your body’s natural hormone fluctuations, you can help ease the symptoms of estrogen loss. You can also take measures to prevent some of the complications of estrogen loss.

These lifestyle changes for managing estrogen loss include:

Eat a balanced diet. Foods rich in calcium and vitamin D can boost bone health and help prevent osteoporosis.
Consider a calcium supplement. Estrogen and calcium need each other to help build bone strength. Eat plenty of calcium-rich foods to give your body natural building blocks for your bones.
Lift weights. Strength training is a highly effective way to build bone strength and reduce your risk of osteoporosis. If you’ve never done strength training, work with a certified physical trainer to create a routine.

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Are Hormones Safe?

There have been studies completed about the risks of hormone replacement therapy. The bottom line is that the risks need to be evaluated individually against your personal health history.

“In approaching the vast amount of data on HRT a caveat is in order: many of the issues involved are not black and white. The clinical data are often conflicting and careful analysis is required.” From sciencedirect.com

At Vigour we take your health seriously. In addition to your symptomatic profile, we order laboratory tests to determine if you are a candidate for hormone replacement therapy.

Major medical organizations like the Endocrine Society, North American Menopause Society (NAMS), and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) say that HRT offers more benefits than risks for many women. Even after the age of 60, American women often experience frequent hot flashes and night sweats, according to a new study of more than eight years of data from the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota — and HRT is effective prevention. The best approach is to ask your gynecologist to evaluate the risks and benefits in your own case, co-author Dr. Paru David told Healthline. “Older women should seek care,” she said.

from: healthline.com