Bio-Identical Hormone Replacement in Women: Chronic Illness Prevention and Recovery for Mental and Physical Well-Being

As women who are enjoying the body's natural state of wellness approach midlife, the body produces less estrogen, progesterone, thyroid, and other vital hormones, leaving her with a wide variety of complaints: hot flashes, mood swings, low sex drive, depression, decreased memory, poor sleep, dry skin, and vaginal dryness.

These conditions can severely impact your quality of life, and they don’t have to be a part of growing older. Bio-identical hormone replacement therapy, or BHRT, is not a "drug treatment". It is the process of replenishing the chemicals naturally made in your body that have diminished with time. BHRT can reverse symptoms caused by hormone deficiencies and make you feel younger, healthier and happier.

Bio-identical hormones come from nature. Derived from nutrient-rich plants, BHRTs are more closely matched to the chemical structure our bodies naturally produce, unlike synthetic hormone treatments that are difficult for our bodies to metabolize and, as a result, can promote the growth of cancer and have other harmful side effects. Because BHRTs are plant-based, they provide a host of health benefits that have been proven to slow down diseases such as Alzheimer’s, cardiovascular disease which can lead to strokes and heart attacks, osteoporosis, osteoarthritis, colon cancer…even periodontal disease!

Bio-identical Hormone Replacement Therapy Just Makes Good Sense!  (And since this is on Lumigrate, I'll say 'it just makes GRATE sense!')

At our clinic, and at increasing numbers elsewhere in the US and beyond, we specialize in a complete program of bio-identical hormone replacement therapy, thereby restoring hormones to normal functioning levels and renewing your healthy, youthful lifestyle!

Hormones and Their Functions
Hormones are critical elements in almost every function of the body. The most common hormones replaced in bio-identical hormone replacement therapy each play a critical role in your physical and mental health.

DHEA (de-hydro-epi-an-dros-ter-one)

As one of the most abundant hormones in the body, it also functions as a precursor hormone, which means that other hormones are produced from it. Mainly secreted by the adrenal glands, DHEA can also be secreted from the skin and brain. DHEA is an essential component in many of the body’s metabolic and physiologic functions including regulating hormone balance, building the immune system, reversing the effects of stress, making sex hormones, increasing short term memory and maintaining levels of well-being. DHEA promotes an anabolic (protein building) state, which increases lipolysis (breakdown of fat). It also increases strength, energy and libido. It has been linked to reduced cardiovascular risk and restored sexual vitality in several studies.

ESTROGEN

Although present in both men and women, estrogen is primarily a female hormone secreted by the ovaries. Estrogen has been noted to protect against heart disease, stroke, osteoporosis/osteopenia, Alzheimer’s disease, memory disorders, vaginal atrophy (dryness), and urinary incontinence in women. It improves balance by improving the visual somato-sensory system within the central nervous system. It also prevents symptoms of menopause, including hot flashes, irritability, mood swings and temperature fluctuations. Estrogen deficiencies lead to sagging breast tissue and skin, increased facial wrinkles, fatigue, depression, mood swings and decreased libido. Estrogen is crucial in scheduling the menstrual cycle and works in partnership with progesterone, both of which are essential to normal, healthy, female functioning.

GROWTH HORMONE (Human Growth Hormone – HGH)

Growth hormone is produced by the pituitary gland and converted by the liver into a protein called somatomedin-C or IGF-1 (insulin-like growth factor-one). Most of the growth hormone functions in the body are due to IGF-1. There are multiple functions of growth hormone including tissue repair, cell rejuvenation, bone and muscle strength, brain function, enzyme production, integrity of hair, nails and skin and lipolysis (fat breakdown). Signs of aging are significantly correlated to a deficiency in growth hormone. These signs include body composition shifts from lean muscle mass and high energy levels to increased fat/body weight and low energy levels, decreased bone mineralization (slowing of bone growth/repair), waning of vitality, increased cardiovascular disease and increase in mortality. Decreased growth hormone can also result in impaired physical performance, poor sleep and diminished social interaction. Growth hormone supplementation can create significant improvements in energy and sense of well-being, as well as decreasing muscle pain, body fat and signs of aging and wrinkles.

MELATONIN

Melatonin is produced by the pineal gland, located in the brain. Regulating the circadian rhythm (pattern of wakefulness and sleeping), it acts as a neurotransmitter hormone. Research has shown that cells of the body rejuvenate and repair during the deeper stages of sleep. Deeper stages of phase 4 sleep help produce natural “CD4″ killer cells which are very vital to a strong and healthy immune system and aids in essential growth hormone production. Energy and moods are aided by deep sleep. Disease prevention is linked to melatonin’s powerful antioxidant effects. Deficiency of melatonin is also linked to irritability, poor sleep, jet lag, hypersensitivity and premature aging. Melatonin has also been shown to reduce breast cancer cell development.

PREGNENOLONE (preg-ne-no-lone)

Pregnenolone serves as one of the major precursor hormones in our bodies. It is made in the brain, and is a memory-enhancement hormone. Pregnenolone is important to cellular repair, particularly in the brain and nervous tissue. It also protects against neuronal injury and aids cerebral function. It is the main hormone used by the adrenal glands to make the adrenal hormones cortisol, DHEA, progesterone, aldosterone, testosterone and estrogens.

PROGESTERONE

Although progesterone is found in both men and women, progesterone is mostly a female hormone. There are four areas of the body it is produced in: the ovaries, the corpus luteum (ruptured follicle), the adrenal glands and the placenta in pregnant women. Progesterone is used to treat PMS (pre-menstrual syndrome). It is helps prevent uterine and breast cancers, osteoporosis/osteopenia, fibrocystic disease and ovarian cysts. Progesterone is neuroprotective, and is increasingly being used in ERs after head trauma to treat brain injury and as part of longer-term therapies afterward. Both men and women have progesterone receptors in every cell of their bodies. Science has yet to discover all that progesterone does for us. We do know, however, that it is tremendously helpful in women for better sleep and for anxiety control. The origin of this word comes from Latin, “pro” means “for”, and “gesterone” means “gestation”, clearly pointing out the importance of this hormone in child-bearing age women. Women who are chronically low in progesterone have more miscarriages and more uterine fibroid tumors.

TESTOSTERONE

Testosterone is produced by the adrenal glands, testicles and ovaries, and is a vital hormone to both sexes. It contributes to muscle mass, strength, endurance, decreased fat, increased exercise tolerance, enhancement of well being, and sex drive. In men, testosterone protects against cardiovascular disease, hypertension, diabetes and arthritis. It also leads to improved lean muscle mass, increased bone density, decreased cholesterol, improved skin tone, improved healing capacity and muscle repair, and increased libido and sexual performance. It prolongs the quality of life by decreasing age-related diseases, similar to estrogen in women, including the prevention of Alzheimer’s disease. Testosterone in is also extremely important in women for body fat reduction, libido, endurance, bone protection and energy.

THYROID HORMONE

Thyroid hormone is produced by the thyroid gland in the front of the neck and regulated by the pituitary gland. It is a metabolic hormone regulating temperature, metabolism and cerebral function. It is a massive contributor to energy levels and the body’s ability to maintain a constant temperature. Thyroid hormone helps remove toxic metals and chemicals, increases fat breakdown, improves hair growth of the scalp and eyebrows, and reduces cholesterol levels and body weight. It is vital in the prevention of cognitive deterioration. It also serves as the "master hormone", which gives it the ability to reduce cholesterol. Although infrequently used for this purpose, it probably is the safest and most beneficial cholesterol reducing agent, and sometimes people are more aware of the symptom of elevated cholesterol levels than the underlying thyroid issue. Thyroid hormone is critical for fertility in women. Many women who go through expensive infertility treatments simply need thyroid hormone replacement. Think of the thyroid hormone as the overseer of the body, telling all the other organs to get to work!

FINAL NOTE

It’s important to understand some wording about hormones. We have all heard the words synthetic, natural and bio-identical. There is a lot of confusion surrounding these words in relation to hormone replacement. Most believe synthetic is bad and natural is good, and in most situations this is true. However, the most important issue is whether or not the hormone is 100% human bio-identical. The source of the hormone, whether natural or synthetic, is not as important as making sure the compound exactly matches what the body produces naturally. When a compound is bio-identical, the body can easily use it to heal itself.

The problem with most synthetics is that only synthetic hormones can be patented; you cannot patent something that is found in nature because you didn't 'create'/develop/invent it. Because of this, pharmaceutical companies have created synthetic hormones that attempt to mimic natural hormone function. Yet, these synthetics are structurally and functionally different from the natural hormones they are attempting to replace. These synthetic hormones can help the initial symptoms, but often produce negative side effects such as bloating, headaches, fatigue, weight gain, increased clotting, heart disease and possibly cancer. Most natural hormones, by contrast, are substances that are structurally identical to those our bodies would normally produce. And natural, bio-identical hormones, instead of causing disease, can actually prevent disease and help maintain a healthy body.

While hormones such as estrogen and progesterone may be obtained from wild yams or soy, the thyroid hormone has to be synthetically made in the laboratory. There is a brand of thyroid hormone that is derived from pigs (natural), that is sometimes necessary to be used by some patients, but at our clinic, we prefer to use thyroid hormone that is 100% bio-identical to what is produced in the human body.

Over the past few years, some pharmaceutical companies have caught on to the idea of “natural” hormone replacement and now patent the specific cream, gel, patch or spray the hormone comes in. These products are expensive if you do not have insurance, and it is often much cheaper to purchase these products from a reliable compounding pharmacy.