If you’ve ever tried treating the symptoms of menopause or other hormonal imbalances with hormone replacement therapy, you may have been disappointed with the results. If you discovered that your symptoms got worse, or you developed new ones, you’re not alone. For that very reason, everyday men and women meet with the medical professionals at Cool Springs MD Chattanooga and Dr. Jack Rowland, who have experience treating patients in Chattanooga, and the surrounding areas of Tennessee, including Cleveland, with bio-identical hormone replacement therapy (BHRT).
The human body utilizes many different hormones to handle various biological processes, performing roles in the immune, reproductive, cardiovascular, and nervous systems, as well as the circadian rhythm, mood stability, blood sugar, and physical functions such as growth and body development. When the necessary hormones aren’t produced in sufficient amounts, it has an effect on the body. Symptoms such as those brought on by perimenopause, menopause, and post-menopause are just one example of what happens when hormones are imbalanced or no longer produced naturally by the body. With bio-identical hormone replacement therapy, the body can receive the necessary hormones through a natural alternative, reducing these uncomfortable symptoms and bringing about relief.
What are Bioidentical Hormones?
Bio-identical hormones are hormones matching those made in the human body but derived from plants such as soybeans or wild yams. Due to their identical nature to the body’s hormones, your body will not register the difference in source, so they are readily accepted by the body. This means the hormones bind to the proper receptors and provide the same results as those that would be produced naturally by the body. In addition, BHRT also supports the body’s tissues, cells, and organ functions and has minimal serious side effects when properly administered. Because Dr. Jack Rowland and the medical team at Cool Springs MD Chattanooga have extensive experience with BHRT, they’ll use their knowledge to discover the precise hormone or hormones and dosing that’s needed for your unique circumstance. Because synthetic hormones are artificially created by pharmaceutical companies, these products don’t allow for the same degree of personalized treatment.
What Is Bio-Identical Hormone Replacement Therapy?
Hormones are a key, integral part of the way a body functions, playing a role in the regulation of almost every body system and function, from the way your metabolism works to the absence or presence of a sex drive. As an example, estrogen, a key female hormone, has over 300 functions in the body. Whenever hormone levels are lagging or made in the wrong amounts, the body doesn’t work properly. Imbalances can be caused by a range of factors, such as menopause that triggers several bothersome symptoms.
Bio-identical hormone replacement therapy is a beneficial, cutting-edge way of reintroducing proper balance in your body and restoring you to your normal levels of energy and mood. At Cool Springs MD Chattanooga, our focus is on a hormone replacement plan that will supplement or replace what’s needed in the body. Our treatments use a formula that’s designed to be identical to what you would naturally produce, also known as your endogenous (internal) hormones. Every individual has different needs when it comes to replacing and supplementing hormones, so it’s most beneficial when both the client and the doctor collaborate together in determining a hormone combination that is tailored to that individual.
Bio-identical Hormones and BHRT
Bio-Identical vs. Synthetic Hormones
Bio-identical hormone replacement therapy is more commonly known as natural hormone replacement therapy. Biochemists alter the hormones derived from plant sources to construct them to be identical to what’s naturally found in the human body. The source origins for bio-identical hormones are substances that are found in soy and yam plants. When these substances are removed from the plants, they are chemically altered in their structure to match the body’s naturally-produced hormones. Because this molecular pattern already occurs in your body, there are no synthetic chemicals, and your body easily accepts the bio-identical hormones, thereby reducing the chances of unwanted side effects.
Many women have heard of or even tried synthetic hormone replacement therapy such as Premarin and Provera. These synthetic estrogen and progesterone replacements put foreign substances into the body. Premarin is derived from concentrated urine harvested from pregnant horses, and these substances are not the same as what’s produced naturally in a human body. These types of synthetic hormone replacements were readily recognized as a less than acceptable solution for women suffering from hormone deficiencies and imbalances. As a result, millions of women and physicians are supportive of the biological advancement that has allowed for the development of bio-identical hormones as a better alternative.
Here at Cool Springs MD, we use the most optimal and unadulterated bio-identical hormones when we tailor hormone replacement treatment for our patients, leading to safer, more reliable results.
BHRT Safely Balances Hormones
The human body is similar to a motor vehicle because it requires specific substances to function well and avoid damage. Oil, which lessens friction by lubrication, along with gas, antifreeze, and various other fluids, all play a particular part in keeping the car up to par. When the vehicle starts getting low on these fluids, or they’re drained to empty, it won’t run well, if it runs at all, so you keep them properly filled.
In the same way, your body has various hormones, each responsible for a specific function or group of functions. When those hormones are lacking or imbalanced, your body won’t run well. Simply dumping more hormones in won’t help. A tailor-made plan using BHRT in the right amount and frequency provides the best balance of hormones to keep your body functioning optimally, and recent research supports BHRT as the best choice.
Medical professionals and the media are becoming more supportive than ever of BHRT as celebrities share their personal success stories. At Cool Springs MD Chattanooga, we provide tailored BHRT treatments with other factors such as nutrition and exercise to help women feel good and put their best foot forward.
Curb the Effects of Pre-Menopause, Menopause, and Post-Menopause
Unfortunately, not all physicians have the experience and knowledge needed to treat symptoms of menopause, including the changes that occur before and after this stage in a woman’s life. Millions of women end up with symptoms that can be anywhere from slightly bothersome to debilitating due to that lack of understanding. Hormonal imbalances, including menopause can cause:
- Decreased bone density leading to osteoporosis
- Mood swings
- Vaginal dryness accompanied by decreased sex drive
- Hot flashes and night sweats
- Skin problems
- Lower muscle mass and higher body fat
- Low self-esteem
- Trouble sleeping and insomnia
- Foggy Brain
Bio-identical hormone replacement therapy can greatly decrease the symptoms of hormonal imbalance, especially when used as part of an overall treatment plan that includes nutrition and exercise.
Possible Benefits of BHRT
Women benefit in many ways when using bio-identical hormones to bring balance to their body when their own hormones are lacking. Many bothersome symptoms can be eased, bringing about:
- Stable, elevated moods
- A decrease in hot flashes and night sweats
- Improved bone density
- Higher muscle mass, potentially leading to reduced body fat
- Improved sex drive
- Decreased vaginal dryness
- Decreased pain in muscles and joints
- Increased mental capacity
With these results, an improved quality of life is achieved because women will both look and feel younger.
Not all of the symptoms associated with aging have their roots in hormone deficiencies; however, for the many that do, using bio-identical hormone replacement therapy for treatment can help. Contact us at 423-401-8034 at our Chattanooga office and request a consultation with the medical professionals to discover if you may benefit from bio-identical hormone replacement therapy. We serve the communities around Chattanooga, including Cleveland.
