What is Hormone Replacement Therapy?

Hormones are involved in most of the body’s basic functions like digestion, appetite, immune function, brain function, libido, and mood. Low or imbalanced hormone levels can have widespread effects on your health and feeling of well-being. For many people, the solution is hormone replacement therapy, which just as it sounds, is the use of medications to replace the hormones your body isn’t producing.

At Belmar, we compound bioidentical hormones for men and women. Bioidentical hormones have the same molecular structure and act the same as natural human hormones. Many doctors and patients today are choosing bioidentical hormone replacement therapy (BHRT) as the preferred treatment for declining or imbalanced hormones.

Our pharmacists compound BHRT prescriptions from scratch. Compounding gives providers the flexibility to meet individual medical needs. Our customizable approach to compounded medications allows us to concentrate creams to maximize ease of administration and create oral dosage forms with combinations of active ingredients not available commercially. Patients sensitive to fillers will have options with the potential to accommodate a wide range of allergies. This is especially important in hormone replacement therapy, because patients have widely varying needs.

Menopause

The most common use of BHRT is to treat the symptoms of menopause in women. These can include hot flashes, night sweats, vaginal dryness, sleep problems, fatigue, weight gain, loss of muscle mass, foggy thinking, and mood changes.

Loss of Bone Density

Postmenopausal osteoporosis affects many women during the first decade following menopause. Bones become brittle, fragile, and easily fractured. It is one of the most common postmenopausal problems that doctors treat.

Heart Health

Until they reach menopause, women are protected from many cardiovascular problems. However, once estrogen and certain adrenal hormones start to decline, women may need hormone replacement therapy to help protect their heart and blood vessels.

Sexual Dysfunction

BHRT may help with vaginal dryness in women, decreased libido and improved sexual wellness in men and women.

Muscle and Strength Loss

Men and women can lose muscle mass and strength as hormone levels decrease. Hormone replacement can help patients continue enjoying their favorite sports and activities.

Mood Disorders

Hormonal changes in menopause or andropause can cause or worsen mood swings, anxiety disorders, or depression. In addition to worry, fear, agitation, irritability, nervousness, and irrational thoughts, patients can have physical symptoms — rapid heart rate, shortness of breath, nausea, numbness, lightheadedness, shakiness, and high blood pressure.

BHRT can benefit many people as they age and experience a drop in hormone levels. Age-related changes in hormone levels can cause problems that range from wellness issues to serious medical conditions.

BHRT therapy can also be useful for younger patients who have any of the conditions listed above. No matter what age you are, if you suffer from a hormone imbalance, hormone replacement therapy may help.

However, BHRT isn’t right for everyone. Talk to your provider if you –

• Think you may be pregnant
• Are experiencing vaginal bleeding
• Have/had certain types of cancer such as breast, uterine, or endometrial
• Had a stroke or heart attack
• Have/had blood clots
• Have/had liver disease

If you have any of these risk factors, your provider may want to consider a different solution for you.  Supplements can be beneficial for people who cannot take hormone therapy.  We can discuss which may be right for you!