BHRT (Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy)

Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy (BHRT) can be extremely helpful for women and men alike, and has proven to be a valuable treatment option for over 70 years. BHRT is a unique form of hormone therapy that greatly differs from other forms of hormone replacement. Chemically identical to human hormones, bioidentical hormones can help women and men suffering from hormone deficiencies, dominances, or imbalances return to optimal hormone levels and eliminate debilitating symptoms interfering with their everyday life. The goal for every patient is to achieve their own unique optimal hormone levels for a balanced, healthy, and rewarding lifestyle.

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Benefits of BHRT

  1. Personalized Dosing: Unlike conventional HRT, we provide personalized dosing that you cannot get with conventional HRT. Experience the results you want!
  2. Easily Metabolized: The natural hormones used in BHRT are easily recognized by the body, because it is what the body uses naturally!
  3. Few to No Side Effects: Personalized dosing, and excellent medical management will reduce likelihood of side effects, and the lack of common preservatives (such as synthetic dyes and/or parabens) found in HRT will reduce the likelihood of allergic response and overall reaction.
  4. Organically Sourced: BHRT is made without binders, dyes and preservatives found in other commercially made hormone products. BHRT is derived from plants, mainly soy and wild yam.

You may be a candidate for BHRT if you experience one or more of the following:

  • Hot flashes and night sweats
  • Fatigue
  • Anxiety, depression, and irritability
  • Memory lapses and trouble concentrating
  • Low libido
  • Weight gain, or inability to lose weight
  • Headaches
  • Insomnia and sleep apnea
  • Lack and/or loss of muscle tone

Common Effects of BHRT

Decreased or resolved feelings of irritability, anxiety, and/or depression. For many patients, their emotions felt more “even,” and will report a dramatic improvement in their overall mental health and well-being.

BHRT not only increases sexual desire, but it can also improve sexual function, including increasing the quality and quantity of orgasms.

Hormone imbalance affects the hypothalamus, the area of the brain that regulates sleep. Restoring hormonal balance helps resolve insomnia. It can restore a more predictable pattern of sleep while increasing the amount of deep, restorative sleep.

Low levels of estrogen makes it hard to lose body fat. Low testosterone levels have a negative effect on muscle tone. Replacing these hormones helps to eliminate both problems.

Common Hormones Used

Progesterone is primarily produced in the ovaries. It is secreted by a structure called the corpus luteum that is produced after the release of an egg (ovulation). After ovulation, progesterone is responsible for preparing the uterus for a fertilized egg, and maintaining a healthy pregnancy, should one occur. When levels of progesterone are just right, it contributes to feeling calm, cool, collected, and in love with life. Optimal levels of progesterone also contribute to your ability to use fat for energy, build and maintain healthy bones, protect your breasts and uterus against cancer, and help your cells use thyroid hormone! Progesterone also plays a key role in the production of additional hormones including estrogen, testosterone, DHEA, and cortisol. Low progesterone levels are common in women living with conditions such as PMS, PCOS, infertility, perimenopause, and menopause. Symptoms of low progesterone can include heavy menstrual bleeding and cramping, bloating, migraines, fatigue, irritability, irregular menstrual cycles, insomnia, and abnormal weight gain or an inability to lose weight.

Pregnenolone is a steroid hormone that aids in cellular repair of the central nervous system. It is the most potent memory enhancer of all the hormones. It is created from two sources: dietary cholesterol, and the adrenal glands. Pregnenolone, along with the hormone DHEA, is responsible for creating testosterone and all other hormones in your body. Pregnenolone also activates neuroreceptors that stimulate and calm the brain. An unbalanced level of pregnenolone may contribute to depression, irritability, fatigue, poor communication, difficulty with concentration, memory, and stress. Mood disturbances are also common when pregnenolone levels are low. Healthy levels of pregnenolone are also important for a healthy cardiovascular system and immune system. Pregnenalone may also contribute to feelings of overall well-being, and feeling youthful and energetic, and feeling youthful and energetic.

Melatonin is a hormone that naturally decreases as we age. Melatonin is essential for proper circadian rhythm; the cycle that tells our bodies to sleep and wake. Secreted by the pineal gland, Melatonin serves to increase the deepest stages of sleep. Deep sleep strengthens the immune system, energizes the body, and helps improve mood. During these deeper stages of sleep, our cells restore and repair themselves and we produce natural killer T-cells or CD4 cells. These cells are essential to optimal immune system function, and can have a tremendous disease prevention quality. Melatonin deficiency can result in symptoms such as insomnia, irritability, hypersensitivity, poor body temperature regulation, and premature aging.

Estrogen is primarily secreted by the ovaries. Estrogen is the main hormone for maturing an egg and readying it for ovulation. Once a woman reaches menopause, the ovaries will stop producing estrogen. Estrogen is an essential hormone to both women, and men. It has been suggested Estrogen plays a primary role in protecting against heart disease, stroke, osteoporosis, and Alzheimer’s Disease. Optimal estrogen levels may prevent hot flashes, vaginal atrophy, urinary incontinence, and other bothersome menopausal symptoms. A deficiency in this hormone may result in early menopause, memory issues, lack of focus and concentration, insomnia, incontinence, increased facial skin wrinkles, chronic fatigue, depression/anxiety, mood swings, lowered libido and even painful intercourse. However, when there is an “estrogen dominance” picture present, patients will often experience bloating, breast tenderness, irregular menstrual cycles, lowered libido, migraines, mood swings, and weight gain.

Testosterone is one of the most important hormones for energy and overall well-being for everyone! While testosterone is primarily considered to be a male hormone, it is also essential for women. It is secreted from the adrenal glands, testes and ovaries. Testosterone contributes to overall strength, endurance, exercise tolerance, lean muscle mass, healthy bone density, optimal cholesterol levels (think low “bad” cholesterol (LDL), and high “good” cholesterol (HDL)), and greater capacity to heal from injury. Testosterone even improves skin tone and texture as it helps promote collagen production and skin elasticity. Testosterone also enhances sexual performance and increases libido leading to more frequent and higher quality orgasms. Typically, men begin experiencing a one percent decrease in Testosterone production every year after the age of 30. When Testosterone levels are low, both men and women can experience unnecessary weight gain, hair loss, chronic fatigue, depression, irritability, as well as low libido and lowered sex drive.

DHEA is a hormone secreted by the adrenal glands, and the precursor to other essential sex hormones. DHEA supports the anabolic and protein building state. It can reduce the risk for cardiovascular disease by stimulating the breakdown of fat, while also strengthening the immune system, restoring libido, improving mood, and lowering cholesterol and overall body fat. DHEA has been shown to be an anti-stress hormone, which can help reverse the negative effects of stress on the immune system. When there is an imbalance in the DHEA hormone, it affects the production of other hormones such as estrogen and testosterone. Patients suffering from a DHEA deficiency will often complain of lowered immune system function, chronic fatigue, aching of the joints, lowered libido, chronic fatigue, depression/anxiety, and loss of muscle mass. DHEA excess could cause any one of the following symptoms: unplanned weight loss, loss of appetite, muscle atrophy/weakness, chronic fatigue, weight loss, loss of appetite, muscle weakness and skin hyperpigmentation.

Common Conditions

The thyroid is an endocrine gland that is located in your neck. It creates and secretes thyroid hormones such as T4 (thyroxine) and T3 (triiodothyronine). Metaphorically speaking, think of the thyroid gland as the gas pedal, and your body as the car. If you press on the gas pedal, everything will speed up (think increased fat burning, concentration, focus, optimal digestion, increased energy levels, increased cell turnover, etc.). Take your foot off of the gas pedal and everything slows down (think weight gain, brain fog, body temperature dysregulation, fatigue, depression, hair loss, constipation, etc.)

Keeping this metaphor in mind, we can explain hypothyroidism (low thyroid function) as a condition occurring when the gas pedal is not being pressed down enough, resulting in common symptoms of fatigue, weight gain, depression, overall sluggishness, constipation, brain fog, hair loss, temperature dysregulation, and even high cholesterol. Hyperthyroidism (too much thyroid hormone production) occurs when that gas pedal is being pressed too much. Common symptoms of hyperthyroidism are weight loss, anxiety, increased sweating, heart racing, diarrhea, and insomnia.

Thyroid hormones influence body temperature, assist cerebral function and metabolism, contribute to energy levels, and help protect against cardiovascular disease. Thyroid hormones also play a primary role in the breakdown of fat, weight loss, cholesterol levels, and also contribute to the prevention of cognitive and memory impairment. They are most noted for increasing energy levels and reducing fatigue.

Ovarian cysts can be terribly painful, and for some women, can even lead to infertility. Other symptoms commonly associated with PCOS are excess body or facial hair, weight gain around the belly, and male pattern baldness or thinning hair on the scalp. Sometimes, PCOS can be asymptomatic, and will frequently go undiagnosed. Unfortunately, undiagnosed and untreated PCOS has been associated with the development of far more serious conditions such as: heart disease, diabetes, breast cancer and early mortality.

PCOS can be inherited, but is also caused by insulin resistance. Treating the insulin resistance is essential in regulating the symptoms of PCOS. Insulin resistance results in changes in the pituitary hormones FSH and LH, which can cause ovarian cysts and menstrual irregularities. Diminishing insulin resistance with simple lifestyle changes, including: diet, regular exercise, can be creatively combined with supplementation and to lower systemic inflammation and risks for heart disease and stroke. Recent studies have shown the significant loss in progesterone accompanied with PCOS, may be associated with a greater risk for developing breast cancer. Prescribed supplementation of bioidentical progesterone has proven most effective in protecting PCOS sufferers.

Menopause is the normal end of menstrual cycles due to the cessation of the production of reproductive hormones from the ovaries. The average age of menopause if 52. Menopause is diagnosed when there has been no menstrual cycle for at least 12 months. This should not to be confused with perimenopause, where menstrual cycles are still occurring, but are perhaps irregular. Although, symptoms related to perimenopause and menopause can be similar.

Common symptoms of menopause include:

  • Hot flashes
  • Night sweats, cold flashes
  • Irritability, mood swings, sudden tears
  • Loss of libido, vaginal dryness
  • Heart palpitations
  • Fatigue
  • Anxiety
  • Urinary urgency
  • Insomnia
  • Clammy skin
  • Depression
  • Weight gain
  • Brain fog
  • Memory issues
  • Bone loss
  • Muscle loss
  • Increase in abdominal fat

The loss of estrogen after menopause can also affect one’s overall health. Countless peer reviewed studies suggest estrogen plays a large role in cardiovascular protection, prevention of osteoporosis, prevention of breast and endometrial cancer, and even Alzheimer’s disease and dementia!

Most women become aware of their transition into perimenopause in their mid to late 40s. Perimenopause normally lasts for 4-10 years, and its course is difficult to predict. Perimenopause is the time when a woman’s body transitions from her fertile, child-bearing years, into middle age. During this natural transition, the body undergoes biologic and physical changes as a result of declining ovarian hormone production. Menstrual cycles may become irregular and varied, and fertility diminishes.

Common symptoms of perimenopause include:

  • Depression
  • Hot flashes
  • Insomnia
  • Irregular menstrual periods
  • Mood swings
  • Vaginal dryness
  • Weight gain
  • Heavy menstrual bleeding
  • Brain fog
  • Night sweats

Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy is a safe and effective option for easing the symptoms of menopause and perimenopause. Bioidentical hormone therapy can reduce your symptoms of perimenopause by bringing balance back to your endocrine system.

Many people have heard of menopause, but most men do not realize that they undergo a similar transition called andropause. Men enter into this phase in the mid-forties to late fifties, and it occurs when testosterone levels begin to decline. However, male hormone levels may start to decrease, even before andropause. Hormones can begin to decline at a rate of around ten percent each decade starting in the 30s. By the time men reach their forties or fifties, low hormones levels may create a number of uncomfortable symptoms.

Common symptoms of andropause, or male hormone decline include:

  • Irritability and fatigue
  • Exercise intolerance
  • Memory loss
  • Trouble sleeping
  • Reduced productivity
  • Low libido
  • Difficulty maintaining erections
  • Weight gain
  • Reduced muscle mass
  • Increased abdominal fat

With a bioidentical hormone optimization program, the vast majority of men will notice markedly improved strength, endurance, and muscle mass. They will demonstrate improvement in workouts, cardiovascular conditioning, physical activity, and stamina. Bioidentical hormone optimization positively effects sex drive and sexual performance with improved erection quality in most men.