Have you noticed unwelcome changes in your quality of life recently, like being unbearably hot when everyone else complains about being cold? Have you noticed unexplained weight gain or an extreme drop in libido? If so, hormone replacement at Cell Theory Institute of Cellular & Aesthetic Medicine in Miami, FL may be right for you. Today, we’re looking at what it is, how it works, and who may qualify for treatment.
What Is Hormone Replacement?
Hormone replacement is an anti-aging treatment that improves your life drastically if you suffer from hormonal imbalance. There are several administration techniques that may be implemented depending on your lifestyle and personal preference. Also, there are several hormones that can be replaced during treatment.
How It Works
Bioidentical hormone replacement treatment (BHRT) works by restoring balance to your sex hormone levels. Your sex hormones are very important for several physiological and psychological functions.
For instance, if you have too much estrogen in your body, you may suffer from anxiety. If your testosterone levels are too low, you may suffer from a drastic drop in libido. By restoring balance to your hormone levels, balance is restored to your mind and body.
Who Is This Right for?
This treatment will probably be considered appropriate for you if you have imbalanced sex hormone levels. To find out whether your sex hormone levels are imbalanced, we will discuss the symptoms you have been experiencing and run bloodwork. We use serum testing to identify sex hormone imbalance because it is far more accurate and reliable than urine or saliva testing. Here are some signs that your hormones are imbalanced:
Hot Flashes
Most people associate hot flashes with women who are going through premenopause, menopause, or postmenopause. However, men can experience hot flashes too, usually when they suffer from andropause. There is a very good chance that your sex hormone levels are imbalanced and you need hormone replacement if you suddenly feel extremely hot, especially if nobody else around you is hot.
Another sign that you are menopausal or suffer from andropause is night sweats. Night sweats are a particularly frustrating part of the aging process because it can make getting quality sleep difficult. Even worse, imbalanced sex hormone levels can lead to insomnia. Getting hot flashes at night that are so bad you sweat only compounds the frustrating effects of insomnia.
Unexplained Weight Gain
It’s normal for weight to fluctuate from day to day. It is even normal for your weight to climb steadily in the cold months of October, November, and December. Activity level usually decreases while calorie consumption increases as your neighbors, coworkers, and friends throw fall and winter parties. However, if your weight is creeping up but you feel like you are eating fairly normally, a hormonal imbalance may have decreased your metabolism.
Be advised, it is not just your metabolism that is affected by your sex hormone levels. Imbalanced sex hormone levels can increase your appetite and cause fatigue. In other words, you may start eating more because you feel hungrier more often while becoming sedentary because you don’t have the energy to exercise that you once had.
Reduced Libido
When your sex hormone levels are imbalanced, you also may find that you are just no longer interested in sex. When men have low testosterone levels, they may suffer from such sexual dysfunction as erectile dysfunction and a lack of interest in sex. Women who have imbalanced estrogen or progesterone levels may find that they no longer desire physical intimacy with their partner. They also may experience pain during sex and difficulty enjoying sex.
Anxiety
Hormone replacement also may be right for you if you have been diagnosed with anxiety recently or you have had anxiety for years but notice it worsening. Anxiety is a fairly common symptom usually experienced by women during premenopause, menopause, or postmenopause.
There are several reasons why anxiety may occur, but one of the most common causes is an inappropriate amount of estrogen in the body. However, it can also be caused by low testosterone. If you feel irritable, physically tense, or wound-up, there is a very good chance that you could benefit from BHRT. You also may benefit from BHRT if you experience such symptoms of anxiety as:
- Difficulty falling asleep
- Difficulty staying asleep
- Feeling fatigued after a night of sleep
- Difficulty concentrating
- Trouble staying positive
Memory Loss
People who suffer from imbalanced sex hormone levels may also find that their short-term memory is failing. Specifically, imbalanced sex hormones can affect your brain in a manner such that you can no longer form short-term memories. In other words, you may “forget” someone’s name mere minutes after meeting them because your brain never created and cataloged the memory in the first place.
Unfortunately, memory loss is not the only cognitive symptom of imbalanced sex hormone levels. Some people with imbalanced sex hormone levels may find that their recall of long-term memories suffers, too. For instance, you may find that you can no longer remember your anniversary, and your granddaughter’s birthday escapes you. BHRT also may be right for you if you often forget where you put things.
The Bottom Line
Bioidentical hormone replacement therapy restores balance to your sex hormone levels, improving your quality of life. A blood test is required to determine whether one qualifies for this treatment or not. Among the symptoms it can treat are hot flashes, night sweats, unexplained weight gain, and reduced libido.