Menopausal Women Taking Hrt Tend To Have Less Body Fat Especially Abdominal Fat
Visceral fat cells are what can make our shape change to a dad bod. Adding this type of fat to our waistlines can set off inflammation and increase insulin resistance. Visceral fat gets worse with depression, stress, poor sleep, smoking, and drinking fructose-sweetened beverages. If thats not enough, menopausal weight gain around your tummy can increase the risk of:
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Cardiovascular disease
Development Of Blood Clots
Blood clots are the clumps of blood the body forms in response to a blood vessel tear. The function of a blood clot is to plug the injured blood vessel so it stops bleeding. There are some diseases, types of therapy, and medications that can increase an individualâs risk of the inappropriate development of blood clots. These blood clots form when blood stops moving, or when it slows down in the blood vessels. Anything that stops the proper movement of blood through the vessels can increase an individualâs risk of developing a blood clot. Blood clots are concerning because they can break off and flow freely throughout the bloodstream. When blood clots become lodged in blood vessels that supply the heart, brain, or lungs, life-threatening medical conditions can occur. A blood clot that becomes lodged in vessels that supply the heart with oxygenated blood can result in cardiac arrest, and a blood clot that gets stuck in the brainâs blood vessels can result in a stroke. While this type of therapy alone increases the risk of blood clots by a small amount, an individualâs risk can considerably increase when bioidentical hormone therapy is combined with other blood clot risk factors, which include obesity, advanced age, smoking, bed rest, heart failure, and a sedentary lifestyle.
Discover more information about the side effects and risks of bioidentical hormone replacement therapy now.
Will I Gain Weight From Bhrt
There is no evidence supporting the claim that BHRT causes added weight gain. So dont worry! Your Bio-Identical Hormone Treatments wont affect your waistline or your belly.
If youre using BHRT for relief from menopause, you should know that menopause itself can cause weight gainregardless of whether you use BHRT to manage those symptoms. BHRT might also cause water retention, which can cause your weight to appear higher.
Regular exercise and a healthy diet can combat any weight gain. If youre worried about your treatments affecting your figure, be sure to follow an active lifestyle for best results.
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What Are Hormones And Why Do They Impact My Weight
Hormones control metabolism, where fat is deposited, overall appetite, and weight balance. The most effective way to get hormones back on track, stop the scale creep, and return to a healthy weight is to correct hormonal imbalances with Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy . BHRT is made from yams and is identical to the hormones our body naturally makes. Once hormones are back in balance, weight loss can begin.
Hormone regulation is complicated because the bodys hormones are all interconnected. The bodys hormone systems must all work in harmony and continually rebalance in response to physical and emotional events in your life. Peri- and menopause are the phases where women will experience huge drops in hormone levels. Those drops are normal, but the symptoms of low hormones can be debilitating and lead to lifelong medical complications.
Menopause weight gain, or also called hormonal weight gain, is a struggle that very few talks about. At the age of 40, most women dont want to think about menopause but meanwhile, the hormones that regulate weight are spiraling down. Ignoring what is happening is not a method to prevent weight gain. Weight loss after 40 is possible. By understanding the true source of weight gain, women can shed excess weight and prevent further weight gain ultimately helping women to feel happier and healthier.
Hormones And Weight Gain
Do your hormones actually make you fat? Ive been treating women for weight loss for over 13 years now, and most of my clients have been successful in losing weight once they started to control their calories and exercise on a regular basis.
However, every now and then I come across a client who is doing absolutely everything right, yet the weight simply will not budge. When the client has blood levels tested they are often told that everything is normal and they are at a loss as to where to turn next.
If you cant lose weight with diet and exercise and youre not taking any medications that may interfere with your metabolism, it may actually be a hormonal imbalance problem.
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Why Take Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy
If peri- and menopausal women dont address the hormonal root causes of weight gain and weight loss resistance, their weight goals will not be achieved. At perimenopause, women will experience a cascade of hormone imbalances. When one goes up, another one goes down.
What was once a symphony of hormones playing a pretty good tune suddenly becomes a screeching cacophony that can crescendo into a world of problems, including weight gain. By starting HRT, a woman can begin the process of repairing the imbalances of the hormones and can once again play in harmony.
Conditions Treated With Bhrt
At MNHC Naturopathic & Medispa Clinic, Lorenzo Diana, N.D. and his team treat a variety of illnesses through the use of Naturopathic Medicine. We are also fully versed in the treatment of these and many other conditions.
- Pediatric/Healthy Kids
Part of the reasons behind offering naturopathic bioidentical hormone support is his belief that the body adapts better and accepts bioidentical hormones better than those which are derived from synthetic materials and chemical processes.
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Does Hormone Replacement Therapy Cause Weight Gain
Synthetic estrogen hormones can cause women to gain even more weight after menopause. This type of estrogen, produced from pregnant mares urine, can cause fluid retention resulting in extra pounds. Synthetic hormones are basically an off-the-shelf, one-size-fits-all therapy. The conjugated equine estrogens are not metabolically the same as those found in human females.
Synthetic hormones are not prescribed for weight loss, but to relieve certain menopausal symptoms, such as night sweats and hot flashes. Women should not take synthetic hormones on a long-term basis, because such use increases the risk of breast cancer and heart disease.
Bioidentical Hormones Can Improve Your Sex Life
On top of the symptoms impacting your life, menopause or other hormonal imbalances may cause vaginal dryness. Unfortunately, this symptom often contributes to an overall loss of or decrease in libido.
Naturally, these symptoms place strain upon your relationship. Thankfully, using bioidentical hormones can make sex more comfortable and increase your libido.
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Estrogen Excess From Within The Body
Estrogen issues can come from within a womans body as well as outside of it. One leading cause of excess estrogen is issues with another hormone: progesterone. Progesterone is released by the ovaries and is responsible for balancing out estrogen. It is an essential hormone for menstruation and pregnancy. As a woman ages and reaches menopause, progesterone levels naturally decrease. However, this decrease causes an excess of estrogen, since estrogen is no longer kept in check by the progesterone. This hormone imbalance is responsible for typical menopause symptoms such as hot flashes, vaginal dryness, issues with concentration and sleep, and irritability. Low progesterone also becomes common in younger women who have not yet reached menopause and is a typical byproduct of excess and chronic stress.
Does Hormonal Imbalance Make You Gain Weight
Hormones, along with your lifestyle, influence your appetite, satiety, metabolism, and weight .
Stress, age, genes, and poor lifestyle choices can disrupt your hormonal balance and lead to a sluggish metabolism, indigestion, and uncontrollable hunger. This, ultimately, leads to weight gain.
So, lets find out which hormones cause weight gain.
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Some Bioidentical Hormones Are Fda Approved
Hormones produced by drug companies, like estradiol, a bioidentical estrogen, are FDA approved. Other bioidentical hormones, such as those prepared in compounding pharmacies are not FDA approved. While these hormones may not be FDA-approved, that doesnt mean that theyre unsafe.
The advantage of a compounded hormone is that its formulated according to the individuals needs. Beyond that, hormones can be combined to produce a therapy that treats multiple causes for symptoms.
Why Do Some Women Report This Side Effect
For some women, the side effects of HRT can include water retention, bloating and breast tenderness and swelling, which can all feel much the same as weight gain. If these side effects dont settle, and make you feel uncomfortable, it is worth discussing changes to your HRT prescription with your GP or menopause specialist doctor.
Another reason why some women may appear to gain weight occurs when background anxiety, with reduced appetite, keeps weight a little lower than it would be naturally. This anxiety is often reversed by the positive impact of HRT, which in turn can increase appetite and weight over time. This generally plateaus as HRT settles in the body, rather than numbers continually rising on the scales.
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Bioidentical Hormones Do Have Risks
When considering hormone replacement therapy, you should know there are risks. Thats why weve included here in our 10 things to know about bioidentical hormones. First, both conventional and bioidentical hormone replacement therapy come with risks.
Taking your medical history into account, hormone replacement therapy may increase your risk of blood clots, stroke, gallbladder disease, heart disease, and breast cancer. These are the serious risks. In fact, some women shouldnt use hormone replacement therapy at all.
As your body adjusts to BHRT, you may experience less serious, but aggravating, side effects like: acne, bloating, weight gain, fatigue, and increased facial hair. Often, these side effects subside as your body adjusts to the treatment or as your provider calibrates your dosage.
How To Test And Track Estrogen Levels
To best way to understand how your estrogen levels are responding to any recent treatments or lifestyle changes is through hormone testing and tracking.
Currently, there are three different ways that you can test your estrogen levels. This includes blood testing, urine testing, and saliva testing. Each method comes with its own pros and cons in terms of the medical support required and the type of information that you will receive in your results.
For example, a blood test at your doctors office or through an at-home testing service like Lets Get Checked will only give you a one-time snapshot of your estrogen levels at the time that you take your test. If you want to know how your levels change over time, you will need to continue testing on a weekly or monthly basis. The downside of this approach is that it can become expensive and time-consuming.
Urine testing with a system like Mira is another option that may be a bit less expensive depending on your situation and insurance. Testing with Mira is as easy as taking a pregnancy test, and the best part is that you will receive your results in real-time. While Mira cannot test for all types of estrogen, it can test for the urine metabolite of Estradiol , which is the most dominant form of estrogen in individuals of reproductive age.
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Include Protein At Each Meal And Snack
Protein improves satiety and helps preserve muscle mass. While many of us automatically include a protein with our meals, we may not be as protein-focused when it comes to snacks. So when its snack time, reach for hard-boiled eggs, all-natural jerky, Greek yogurt, low fat cheese, edamame, or a handful of nuts.
Hormone Replacement Therapy For Weight Loss
There is good news, you can reverse your hormone imbalance and restore your ability to lose weight by simply replenishing the hormones youve lost. Many patients seek hormone replacement therapy to help with weight loss, replenishing lost hormones to help promote increased energy and metabolism.
But not all hormones are created equal, so medical experts recommend selecting a hormone replacement therapy that usesbioidentical hormones rather than synthetic ones. Bioidentical hormones are preferred because theyre tailored to have the same molecular structure and biological effect as the hormones produced by your body. Research shows that bioidentical hormones may be safer and rarely cause side effects.
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Does Estrogen Cream Cause Weight Gain
Topical, but not oral, estradiol prevents this increase in body fat and leptin. An interesting fact about visceral obesity is that women who take NO estrogen can also get weight gain around their middle because they develop insulin resistance.
Are estrogen creams bad for you?
This new study shows that topical applications unlike systemic estrogen replacement do not increase the risk of blood clots, cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis or breast and endometrial cancers.
What does biest cream do?
Bi-est cream is commonly used to relieve perimenopause, menopause and aging symptoms in women. Replacing hormones with naturally-occurring hormones is known as bio-identical hormone replacement therapy. Bi-est comes in an 80/20 blend of estriol and estradiol.
Can Estrogen cause belly fat?
Many women also notice an increase in belly fat as they get older even if they arent gaining weight. This is likely due to a decreasing level of estrogen, which appears to influence where fat is distributed in the body.
Learn More About Hormone Pellets And Weight Loss Today
Now that you understand the connection between hormone pellets and weight loss, you may want to know whether this treatment is right for you. We can help!
Contact us today to schedule your free consultation.
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Weight Gain While Taking Hormones
Menopause often results in women gaining weight, especially around the abdomen. Certain hormone replacement therapy prescribed for relief of some menopausal side effects may cause additional weight gain.
A woman may end up considerably heavier than she was during her childbearing years, even if she exercises regularly and consumes a healthy diet. If you gain weight while undergoing hormone replacement therapy, you are likely taking synthetic hormones.
Another, safer type of hormone replacement therapy bioidentical hormone therapy does not produce weight gain. In fact, it can help women lose the weight gained during menopause and from the use of synthetic hormones.
Are Compounded Bioidentical Hormones Bad
There are risks to taking compounded bioidentical hormones, but in some cases, they may be a better choice. Compounded bioidentical hormones are not FDA-approved. They are not tested for safety or effectiveness. Many major medical groups do not support using them because not enough is known about their safety and long-term side effects.
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Does Hormone Replacement Cause Weight Gain
You may have heard that there is a connection between testosterone pellets and weight gain. In almost all cases, this is caused by temporary water retention, which is often mistaken for weight gain. Once your doctor has dialed in the exact amount of hormones you need, this side effect should dissipate and you should find that you feel slimmer and healthier than you did before.
If your dosage isnt right, you could experience weight gain. This is one of the reasons why its so important to receive treatment by a qualified professional and keep up with all of your follow-up appointments. Eventually, youll achieve optimal balance and reach a stable, healthy weight.
For best results, youll want to combine your hormone therapy with a healthy lifestyle that includes diet, exercise, and stress management. Doing so makes it more likely that youll eliminate all or most of your unpleasant symptoms and experience overall better well-being.
Gain Insight On How Hormone Replacement Therapy Can Help You Lose Weight
Weight loss becomes much more difficult as you get older. No matter how much you diet and exercise, the scale refuses to budge. This can be extremely frustrating, but its important to know that its not your fault. Your hormones are to blame. More specifically, a hormone imbalance has affected the way that your body regulates your weight. But you dont have to bear this heavy burden once you realize that losing weight begins by gaining hormones.
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Why Am I Getting A Dad Bod
Simply put, most women are overweight at midlife because their hormones are out of whack, and the weight gain around their middle section is dangerous. The health implications of weight gain at menopause cannot be overstated. The excess weight that is most concerning is a weight around the midsection and is called visceral fat. Its the fat that is deep in your body and surrounds your organs.
In our 20s and 30s, we may gain weight in our breasts and around our hips and thighs. At menopause, we tend to gain weight around our abdomen and upper back. This shift in where fat is deposited is due to the hormonal changes of menopause. While the genetic factors related to weight and fat distribution cant be changed, women can control menopausal weight gain by increasing the levels of hormones that are dropping by taking natural bioidentical hormones.1-10
Do Bioidentical Hormones Really Work
Yes, they work for some people. You will have different results depending on your symptoms and health history. Talk with your healthcare provider about bioidentical hormones and what form may work best for you. In some cases, your healthcare provider may recommend against using bioidentical hormones in favor of a more traditional hormone replacement therapy option.
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