BIOIDENTICAL HORMONE REPLACEMENT THERAPY
When your body lacks the proper hormonal balance, it can affect every aspect of your life, health, and well-being. As we age, our natural sex hormones, including estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone starts to decline. This reduction of hormones can lead to fatigue, lack of energy, lack of sex drive, worsened mood, weight gain, and even memory loss.
However, naturally aging does not have to be an arduous process. We can naturally restore our hormones to more youthful levels of functioning with Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy (BHRT). With BHRT, hormone levels are restored, and troublesome menopausal symptoms are improved. At Embodied Wellness, we work with fully accredited and licensed US compounding pharmacies to provide you with the safest, most natural, plant-based bioidentical hormone replacement therapies, so that you can achieve better balance, improved physical and mental health, and improved quality of life.
WHAT IS BIOIDENTICAL HORMONE REPLACEMENT THERAPY?
Bioidentical hormones are human-made sex hormones that are nearly identical molecularly to the hormones your body naturally produces. Bioidentical hormones help restore the sex hormones that have been lost due to menopause, including estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone. As a result of bioidentical hormones being similar molecularly to the sex hormones your body naturally produced, your body is more likely to accept these hormones, appropriately use and metabolize these hormones, and excrete them when they are no longer needed for use. This is opposed to synthetic hormones, which are not identical to the hormones your body naturally produces, and thus may contribute to more problematic cardiovascular adverse health outcomes, such as blood clots and heart disease.
At Embodied Wellness, we tailor bioidentical hormone replacement therapies to meet your specific needs, and provide a conservative, yet effective approach that always keeps your safety and concerns in mind in achieving your desired outcomes. The two main types of hormone therapies used include:
Estrogen therapy: With estrogen as monotherapy, estrogen is taken alone without any other supplemental hormone. Estrogen may help improve bladder wall integrity and thus reduce urinary incontinence, improve menopausal symptoms including hot flashes and night sweats, and improve sexual arousal in some women. However, it is important to note that estrogen-only therapy can only be used in women who have had a hysterectomy. In women who still have an intact uterus, they must use combined estrogen/progesterone therapy to prevent risks of endometrial cancer.
Estrogen/Progesterone therapy: As mentioned, estrogen/progesterone therapy is the method of choice for women who have an intact uterus and are interested in hormone replacement therapies. They come in a variety of formulations and work very well at balancing hormone levels and treating both local and systemic menopausal symptoms.
At Embodied Wellness, we utilize BHRT in our holistic approach to treating troublesome menopausal symptoms. The following formulations are described below:
Bioidentical HRT Creams
BHRT creams are preferred for the ease of use and instant absorption to the bloodstream. They are applied topically to the skin and are pre-measured allowing for the perfect amount of medication to alleviate your menopausal symptoms.
Oral Bioidentical HRT
Oral forms of BHRT, such as Progesterone, are used for certain women to treat systemic symptoms of menopause, such as hot flashes, low libido, and disturbed sleep. It is generally administered once a day along with estradiol creams or patches and is designed to meet your specific needs.
Bioidentical HRT Patch
BHRT estradiol patches, for example, are delivered transdermally through the skin into the bloodstream, and are a popular and highly effective way of treating both systemic and localized menopausal symptoms for women. They are convenient and are replaced bi-weekly.
In addition to estrogen and progesterone, we may supplement when appropriate with other hormones, such as DHEA or testosterone, to help improve hormonal levels and treat menopause-related symptoms.
WHAT BIOIDENTICAL HORMONES TREAT
Bioidentical hormone replacement therapy helps replace hormones that have been lost due to menopause or other reproductive hormonal decline. They are the preferred method of hormone replacement due to aging and can greatly improve one’s quality of life and wellbeing. As such, it may help restore the following health ailments:
Hot Flashes
A sudden onset of warmth sensation that spreads across the body, typically due to low hormone levels; however, foods and beverages such as alcohol and spicy foods can also contribute.
Night Sweats
A sudden feeling of cold flashes or sweats that typically occurs at night while sleeping. This is typically caused by fluctuations in hormone levels.
Changes In Menstrual Periods (Irregular or Missed)
Caused by fluctuations in hormone levels.
Changes In Mood
Includes irritability, mood swings, mild depression, or anxiety due to hormonal imbalances.
Sleep Disturbances
Trouble falling or staying asleep due to fluctuations in hormone levels.
Vaginal Dryness Or Painful Intercourse
Caused by low estrogen levels.
Urinary Incontinence Or Frequency
Such as the intense need to urinate frequently, caused by low estrogen levels.
ALTERNATIVES TO HORMONE REPLACEMENT THERAPY
Some women may choose to opt out of bioidentical hormone replacement therapies for several reasons. These may include their risk factors. Although BHRT are considered safe and effective in treating menopausal symptoms, they still carry some risks. These risks are increased for some women with pre-existing conditions, such as a personal or first-degree family history of reproductive cancers (ovarian, cervical, breast, or uterine cancer), history of blood clots or heart disease, and history of liver disease just to name a few.
For other women, they may prefer alternatives to hormone replacement therapy for other personal or lifestyle reasons. At Embodied Wellness, we offer various alternatives to hormone replacement therapies which may include peptide treatments, herbal supplements, and nutritional and lifestyle interventions:
Peptide Therapy For Women
Peptides are naturally found in our own bodies. They are safe and effective, and mimic the molecular structure and function our own bodies use and produce. Peptides may act as hormones or chemical messengers and are used to treat a variety of health ailments, including increasing sexual desire/libido, promoting weight loss, and improving sleep, mood, and mental clarity. They may be used alone or in combination with BHRT for optimal results.
Peptides, which are a sequence of amino acids, also play an important role in improving skin care, and are thus great products for anti-aging. At Embodied Wellness, we use specialized peptides to help build collagen, which helps improve skin texture and elasticity. Peptides can also serve as powerful antioxidants for the skin. We utilize peptides to help prevent oxidative stress, improving the look and quality of your skin.
When it comes to sexual health, peptides, such as Bremelanotide, target certain receptors in your body that are responsible for improving sexual function, including increased vaginal lubrication, and increased sexual arousal. Bremelanotide has been shown to increase sexually satisfying experiences in 50% of women with sexual dysfunction. This peptide hormone comes in either a simple injectable or a nasal spray and is easy to self-administer. It can be used as monotherapy or in conjunction with bioidentical hormone replacement therapies to enhance sexual experiences.
Scream Cream: Just as the name suggest, this revolutionary product helps increase sexual arousal and improve orgasm by direct stimulation of the clitoris. Made with a combination of amino acids and other sex-enhancing properties (l-Citrulline, Aminophylline, Ergoloid Mesylate, and Pentoxifylline), the primary mechanism of action towards its success is the increase vasodilation of the vagina and clitoris, which substantially increases sensitivity.
Herbal Supplements
Herbal supplements may serve as a natural and holistic alternative to BHRT in treating troublesome menopausal symptoms of sexual dysfunction. Such herbs, like Yohimbe, Maca, Red Clover, Tribulus, and Fenugreek have all been implicated in treating and enhancing sexual function in women.
Yohimbe – An herb that dates back centuries with origins of use from western African civilizations, Yohimbe is an herb found from the bark of the native African Yohimbe tree. It has been used for medicinal purposes and was considered an aphrodisiac for women. Today, Yohimbe is used by some men and women to treat both erectile dysfunction and improved sexual libido, respectively. Yohimbe is thought to work by dilating the blood vessels in the genital area, increasing sexual arousal and desire. The recommended daily dosing for Yohimbe is 15mg to 30mg a day.
Maca (Lepidium) – Rich in iron, vitamin C, Vitamin B6, and copper, maca is an ancient herb that has recently been recognized in western cultures to help improve sex drive. This plant is native to the Peruvian Central Andes and has been used by South Americans to improve fertility. Some evidence suggests that 3 mg a day can improve sexual desire, balance hormones, and increase vaginal lubrication, making sexual intercourse more pleasurable and enjoyable.
Red Clover (Trifolium Pratense) – This plant-based herb contains compounds known as isoflavones that act similarly to the estrogen women produce from their ovaries and are thus helpful in relieving menopausal symptoms and naturally boosting sex drive (increased libido)! Red clover, and other similar phytoestrogens (AKA plant estrogen), may be a suitable alternative for some women who either prefer or cannot tolerate BHRT. According to one journal from Obstetrics and Gynecology International, post-menopausal women who took 80 mg of red clover over a 12-week period reported improvements in sexual libido, as well as mood and sleep quality.
Tribulus (Tribulus Terrestris) – Considered the “aphrodisiac plant”, Tribulus shows promise in randomized controlled trials in treating all levels of sexual dysfunction for women, including improvements in sexual desire, arousal, increased vaginal lubrication, and decrease pain during sexual intercourse. Tribulus is typically dosed as low as 7.5mg per day in pre-menopausal women and 750mg/day in post-menopausal women.
Fenugreek (Trigonella Foenum graecum) – Fenugreek is a widely used herb in western and eastern cultures, and has a variety of off-label uses, including promoting lactation, improving type 2 diabetes, improving painful periods, acid reflux, and more. However, some studies have also shown some evidence that Fenugreek may have sex-enhancing properties. Fenugreek may influence human sex hormones by increasing both testosterone and estrogen hormones of women, leading to increased sexual desire, arousal, and possibly orgasm. Dosing may include taking 300mg twice daily to improve sexual dysfunction.
Although herbs are typically considered a safer alternative to medicinal treatments, they may interact with other supplements, foods, or medications you take, and therefore should not be used until consultation with a qualified healthcare provider has been done to assess for safety.
Nutritional & Lifestyle Counseling
Switching to an anti-inflammatory diet with foods packed with antioxidants help reduce inflammation and oxidative stress, repairing cellular function and optimizing health. It is a natural tool for weight loss and anti-aging, and studies show that it can even improve your mood and prevent various chronic diseases. At Embodied Wellness, we recommend making nutritional and lifestyle changes to support and improve menopausal symptoms of aging.
Transgender Hormone Therapy
Embodied Wellness now offers masculinizing and feminizing hormone therapy to transgender and those on the gender-spectrum who qualify for such therapies. Gender-affirming hormone replacement therapy can allow a person to develop physical body changes (secondary sex characteristics) as well as promote a more suitable gender identity and gender congruence for that individual. At Embodied Wellness, we partner with you in understanding your needs and preferences regarding treatment, and safely help you transition with bio-identical hormones and other therapies that are right for you.
Want to learn if bioidentical hormone replacement therapy or its alternatives are right for you? Take the next step by scheduling your free consultation or give us a call at 206-480-0740.