Dr B Offers Medical Weight Loss And Hormone Therapy
Losing weight is considered one of the best means for staving off the compounded health risks associated with Metabolic Syndrome. But losing weight can be very challenging, especially if ones own metabolic system seems to be working in opposition to the loss.
Bioidentical hormone therapy and physician-supervised weight loss are core components of Dr. Diane Brzezinskis internal medicine practice. Dr. B has used hormone pellet therapy to treat hundreds of Naples, Florida-area patients who have experienced the full range of symptoms relating to low testosterone and menopause. She also utilizes a multi-faceted approach in her weight loss program, which involves meal replacement, accountability, and the use of prescription medications when necessary. Dr. B offers a variety of different meal replacement options and helps patients focus on daily tracking of food intake and activity.
Patients undergoing hormone therapy typically report numerous other health benefits, including:
- Reduction in depression, anxiety, irritability, and mood swings
- Restoration of sleep patterns
Setting The Stage For Weight Loss
For these reasons, hormonal balance is incredibly important to weight loss. If your hormones arent cooperating, its very difficult to even get started.
Its for that reason that yes, hormone replacement therapy can help you lose weight.
But its important to remember this isnt a magic pill to drop unwanted pounds. Instead, hormone replacement therapy can set the stage for weight loss. It will prepare your body to respond to a healthy lifestyle. Then, when you diet and exercise your hormones will work with you, not against you.
Is Hormone Replacement Therapy Right For Me
HRT may be ideal for you if you suffer from moderate to severe symptoms of menopause that strongly impact your health, well-being, and quality of life. Hot flashes, weight gain, sleep loss, depression, and reduced sex drive are just some unpleasant symptoms of menopause that can be difficult to manage and live with, but that can be improved with hormone replacement therapy.
HRT is also ideal for those who have lost bone mass and arent responding to other treatments, and for those who have had a hysterectomy, have had their ovaries removed, or who have suffered loss of ovary function.
Though HRT offers a number of health benefits for women going through menopause, this treatment may not be ideal or safe for everyone. Talk to your doctor about the risks of HRT if you suffer from abnormal vaginal bleeding, have gallbladder disease, youre a smoker, or if you have blood clots or chronic liver disease. HRT may not be safe for you if you have a family history of breast cancer, endometrial cancer, or uterine cancer.
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Does Hormone Replacement Therapy Help With Weight Loss
Many women refuse hormone replacement therapy because they believe it promotes weight gain. But research has found that there’s no difference in weight gain between women taking HRT and those not taking it.
The tendency to accumulate fat is reduced by hormone replacement therapy. Women on HRT have less fat in their bodies and gain less weight than women not taking this treatment. Though HRT doesn’t help you look slimmer, it reduces the weight gain that happens at menopause.
Hormone replacement therapy by itself does not aid in weight loss. A balanced and controlled diet and regular weight-bearing exercise will help you lose weight and keep your bones strong.
Years Of Fear And Confusion
The Womens Health Initiative Study was a long-term national study following 161,808 postmenopausal women, ages 50 to 79, at 40 medical centers across the United States. Launched in 1993, the study divided those women into one of four randomized trials: the effects of hormone therapy, dietary changes, calcium and vitamin D use, and an overall observational study.
The stated goal of the effort, funded by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, was to find ways to prevent heart disease, osteoporosis, breast and colorectal cancer in postmenopausal women. Though data collection stopped in 2005, extension studies have continued to follow the women, and numerous results have been published. According to the Womens Health Initiative website, the effort has changed the way we treat post-menopausal women and saved the United States $35.2 billion in direct medical costs.
The first results on hormone therapy, , were shocking. Instead of the long-touted benefits of hormone replacement for womens health, especially heart disease, the study found that taking estrogen plus progesterone replacement hormones actually increased a womans risk of heart disease, stroke and invasive breast cancer.
The effect was immediate: Millions of women stopped taking the therapy, and millions more were confused about what to do to help their menopause symptoms.
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How Hormones Affect Weight Loss And Retention
Hormones are chemicals within the body that are produced by the endocrine systems glands. These hormones travel throughout the body to the proper organs, systems, and tissues to deliver messages telling systems within the body what to do and when.
Research has shown that as we age, there are changes in hormones that occur naturally for example, an endocrine tissue may produce less of its hormone than it did at a younger age, or it may produce the same amount at a slower rate. This is followed by a drop in progesterone, DHEA, parathyroid hormone, and calcitonin. Without the right balance of hormones, your body loses the ability to regulate the processes that lead to weight loss. This results in a slower metabolism, an increase in abdominal fat, and less energy for exercise.
Signs That You Need Bioidentical Hormone Therapy For Weight Loss
Unexpected weight gain is the most typical sign that you need hormone therapy for weight loss. Suppose youre eating well, managing your stress, and exercising frequently, but your weight continues to go up. In that case, your hormones might be out of balance and hurting your weight management. Other signs that you need hormone therapy for weight loss include:
Many people might overlook these symptoms and assume that they are part of a stressful modern lifestyle. However, there might be an underlying problem that has to do with your hormones. So, consider solving the root of the problem by radical treatment such as bioidentical hormone therapy, and youll see a positive change in your body in a few weeks.
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Hormone Replacement Therapy Can Help Increase Your Metabolism
A slow metabolism can make it difficult to lose weight. Hormone replacement therapy can help increase your metabolism, which will help you burn more calories and lose weight.
Some research has shown that adding estrogen hormone therapy can help the body to process starches and sugars more efficiently instead of storing them as fat.
An increased metabolism can also help you maintain your weight loss in the long term.
When your metabolism is working properly, your body will be better able to burn calories and keep off excess weight.
HRT can also help boost metabolism by regulating the production of thyroid hormones.
Thyroid hormones are responsible for regulating your metabolism.
If your thyroid hormone levels are imbalanced, it can lead to a slow metabolism.
Hormone replacement therapy can help balance your thyroid hormone levels and increase your metabolism.
As an added bonus, an increased metabolism can also give you more energy!
Youll feel more energetic and motivated to stick to your weight loss goals.
If you have an underactive thyroid, you may find it difficult to lose weight even if you eat a healthy diet and exercise regularly.
Hormone replacement therapy can help get your thyroid back on track, so you can finally start seeing results.
How Long Does A Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Pellet Take To Work
Each hormone replacement therapy patients symptoms are unique, so is each patients path to hormone optimization. Most hormone therapy patients report some symptom resolution in as little as a month, but full optimization may take up to six months. Your bioidentical hormone therapy journey will be customized to fit your specific needs.
It takes more than a few weeks for your hormones to get out of balance, so you can appreciate the fact that it may take a little time to get your hormones back to an optimal level.
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Why Does It Matter Why Now
Working to prevent weight gain and striving to lose excess weight are particularly important after 40, as it can impact the risk of several dangerous health conditions that often arise with age. A large-scale study conducted in Finland found that peri- and postmenopausal weight gain was associated with the onset of hypertension regardless of initial weight, physical activity level or hormone replacement status.
They further determined that blood pressure rose relatively quickly after the weight was gained and that even a modest weight gain resulted in hypertension. Likewise, the risk of cardiovascular disease a leading cause of death among women increases with age and the decline of estrogen levels as the menopause transition is approached. The risks of metabolic syndrome also increase with natural menopause and are even higher with surgical menopause. In other words, now is a critical time to take action to preserve your immediate and long-term health.
Understand How Insulin Impacts Weight
Insulin is one of the most important hormones when it comes to weight loss and weight gain. Made by the pancreas, insulin is responsible for storing blood sugar, or utilizing it, depending upon your bodys needs of the moment. After you eat a large meal, a substantial amount of insulin releases itself into the bloodstream. It also enters the bloodstream as needed throughout the day, ensuring that blood sugar levels remain stable.
Another key function of this essential hormone is fat storage. Insulin decides how much fat to store, and how much to convert for energy expenditure. Chronically high levels of insulin can lead to a condition known as insulin resistance, which is linked to an uptick in blood sugar as well as continued elevated insulin levels.
Preventing this insulin imbalance is crucial, as it leads to weight gain, and eventually type 2 diabetes. When insulin levels remain high over an extended period of time, obesity and metabolic syndrome are often the unfortunate outcome.
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Hormone Replacement Therapy Can Help You Burn More Calories
Exercise is one of the most effective ways to lose weight.
But sometimes, no matter how hard you try, you just cant seem to get rid of those stubborn pounds.
Hormone replacement therapy can help by replacing estrogen levels that drop during menopause. Estrogen can help increase metabolic rate in women and therefore can increase the number of calories you burn during exercise.
In one study, women who underwent HRT burned more calories during exercise than women who did not receive HRT.
This means that HRT can help you lose weight even if you dont make any changes to your diet or exercise routine.
Plus, burning more calories during exercise can help you tone your body and build muscle. And we all know that muscle burns more calories than fat, so this is a great way to boost your metabolism even further.
If youre looking for an extra edge in your weight loss journey, hormone replacement therapy may be just what you need.
What Is Hormone Therapy
Hormone therapy is a simple treatment in which a trained medical professional prescribes or administers hormones either by injection, on the skin or under the tongue.
Men and women around the world rely on hormone therapy as an effective treatment for a variety of symptoms, including weight gain. Based on a study released about the effects of hormone therapy on postmenopausal women confirms this conclusion.
The study mentioned above included participants of 1,000 women between the ages of 50 and 80. According to the findings, the participants who were already taking hormones had lower levels of belly fat than women who had not taken hormones.
Scientists are also hopeful that additional studies are proving hormone replacement therapy may also counteract insulin resistance.
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Hormones And Body Weight
If you struggle with weight issues, especially weight gain, you will know that lifestyle choices, healthy habits, and regular exercise affect your weight. However, as you get older losing weight becomes much harder. This happens because as we age, our ability to metabolize food for fuel decreases.
With the body producing less amount of the hormones it needs and slowly losing the ability to regulate some physiological processes like metabolism, it directly affects your bodys ability to lose weight.
Side Effects Of Hormone Replacement Therapy
HRT may be recommended for the following conditions:
- Increased risk of vertebral and hip fractures
- Retaining fluid
Depending on the prescribed type of HRT, women may end up with a higher chance of developing endometrial or uterine cancer. Its best to discuss the risks of each form of HRT with your doctor.
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Losing Weight The Old Fashioned Way
Odds are, if youre looking into somewhat more extreme ideas like bioidentical hormone therapy, youve probably already tried a good old fashioned diet and exercise. However, we should take the time to discuss this option anyway, because it is by far the safest and most effective way to lose weight and get healthy for most people.
When we hear the word diet, most of us just want to run and hide. Thats an understandable reaction, but diets dont have to be a scary thing. Many diet plans that trend these days are one extreme or another. They suggest cutting out carbohydrates completely or sticking to strictly liquids for a time.
These diets are not always advisable. Although it can take longer to see results, the best possible diet is simply to lower your sugar and fat intake and increase the amount of vegetables you eat. Its that simple. To put a number on it, think of 20/80. Make 20% of your diet just whatever you want to eat, and 80% healthy meats like fish, and lots of vegetables. It really doesnt sound so bad when you look at it that way. It might help to make a list of everything you eat so that you can see your problem areas and focus on those specifically.
However, a healthy diet and a solid workout routine are far and away the safest and most effective weight loss plan. Also, when you do finally get the results you want, they will be lasting results that wont be easily undone.
What Are The Signs That You Need Hormone Replacement Therapy
Age-related hormonal changes are completely natural. However, some symptoms or combinations of symptoms raise a red flag.
If youre experiencing brow-raising symptoms such as frequent exhaustion, decreased libido, irritability, and more, you might be wondering if these are signs that you need hormone replacement therapy. Lets talk about hormone replacement therapy, its potential benefits, and who its for.
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Getting To Know Ghrelin
You can think of ghrelin as your hunger hormone. Like leptin, it communicates with the brain in this case, telling your brain to eat. Every time your stomach becomes empty, it naturally releases ghrelin into your bloodstream. Ghrelin levels are lowest just after youve finished a meal. Theyre at their highest when the stomach is empty and youre ready for your next meal. This scenario is normal when a person is healthy and maintaining optimal weight.
An overweight person, on the other hand, will find that like the other hormones weve explored ghrelin levels are typically out of whack. In healthy individuals, ghrelin levels decrease in a way that satiates them and signals their brains to stop eating. But in obese individuals, ghrelin levels dont decrease enough after eating, which fails to send the brain the signal it needs to stop eating and feel satisfied.
How Hormones Change Before And During Menopause
Hormone replacement therapy is the process of administering medication with female hormones. This medication is intended to replace the hormones that the body stops producing when a woman enters menopause.
When a woman enters the perimenopause stage, her progesterone levels start to decrease while her estrogen levels may wildly fluctuate. While theyll eventually trend downward, in the short term, they may be completely erratic and even fluctuate significantly throughout the day.
This is a miscommunication between the pituitary gland, hypothalamus and ovaries that results in fluctuating estrogen levels. Declines in progesterone tend to occur more steadily, over time.
As women enter the later stages of perimenopause, estrogen levels decrease. Once a woman enters menopause, her estrogen levels drop even more.
These changing hormones are responsible for many of the symptoms women experience, including hot flashes, changes in the menstrual cycle, headaches, depression and weight gain.
HRT seeks to stabilize the hormone levels so that symptoms are lessened and women are able to maintain a healthier, happier life. Fluctuating hormones are linked to higher levels of ghrelin, the hormone that indicates youre hungry.
Low estrogen levels impact the bodys ability to recognize when its full. Women may eat more calories than needed simply because their bodies havent indicated that theyve had enough.
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Putting The Risks Of Hrt In Perspective
Media reports on the WHI results may have given people inflated fears of hormone replacement therapys risks, the doctors say.
For example, the Womens Health Initiative results showed that combined hormone replacement therapy seems to increase the risk of breast cancer by 33%, Schiff says. Thats a serious increase. Still, the risk to any one woman is not as high as it sounds, Schiff says.
According to the WHI, without hormone therapy, 3 of every 1,200 women aged 55 to 59 will develop breast cancer this year, says Schiff. With hormone therapy, 4 out of 1,200 will. Its a 33% increase, but the absolute risk is still very, very small.
Shuster points out that other behaviors like drinking two glasses of wine a night also increase breast cancer risk by a similar amount.
Women who take estrogen alone a treatment only available to people who have had a hysterectomy appear to have a lower risk of developing breast cancer than women who take progestin and estrogen together. In a 2006 JAMA article, researchers from the Womens Health Initiative found that after about seven years of treatment with estrogen, there seemed to be no increased risk of breastcancer.
However, estrogen-only therapy may have long-term risks. A May 2006 study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine found using estrogen-only therapy for 20 years or more showed increased risk of developing breast cancer.