Facts About Hormone Replacement Therapy
In Health and Wellness, Hormone Replacement Therapy by Karen Eisenbraun, CHNC March 18th, 2019
Hormone replacement therapy has been the topic of numerous conflicting reports over the past few decades. Some clinical trials suggest that HRT poses an increased risk of certain health conditions, while other studies demonstrate this therapys effectiveness in relieving symptoms associated with menopause and reducing the risk of diseases such as osteoporosis and heart disease. If youre considering hormone replacement therapy, its important to understand the facts so that you can make an informed decision.
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Helping Women Through Menopause With Hrt And Other Therapies
Theres just no reason to let changing hormones rule your life. Particularly when expert, compassionate care is nearby. SynergenX provides HRT for women in Houston, Dallas, San Antonio, and Chicago, tailored exclusively to your needs. In addition to HRT, we can work with you to help you make lifestyle and nutritional adjustments to bring complete balance to your life. Its time to feel re-energized, revitalized and healthyits time to feel like YOU!
Dont wait another minute to make your appointment. Call toll-free, 888-219-7259 to find the location near you or to use our online form.
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Does Hormone Replacement Therapy Help Depression
Yes, HRT may help women reduce and prevent depression. Fluctuating hormone levels during menopause can often lead to irritability, mood swings, and mental health disorders such as anxiety and depression. Unpleasant menopause symptoms like hot flashes, night sweats, vaginal dryness, and loss of sexual libido can also contribute to depression in women who are going through menopause. Hormone replacement therapy can help treat depression by regulating estrogen levels and improving many unwanted symptoms related to menopause.
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So Who Needs Hormone Replacement Therapy
As HRT is being re-evaluated and new evidence is coming in its difficult to know who should get hormone replacement therapy and for how long.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration recommends that HRT should be used in women who have severe menopausal symptoms.
Estrogens are the best agents we have for the relief of menopausal symptoms like hot flashes, vaginal dryness, and loss of sexuality, says Schiff. Theyre also a good treatment for menopausal symptoms that are often not recognized: Difficulty sleeping, stiffness, joint pain, and mood changes.
But for disease prevention lowering the risk of heart attacks, strokes, and most cases of osteoporosis the FDA still does not recommend hormone replacement therapy.
We have other ways of cutting the risks of heart attacks and strokes, Schiff tells WebMD, including better diet, exercise, and other medicines.
Will HRT ever again be used as prevention for these serious diseases? Only time and research will tell. The experts remain divided.
I believe that studies in the next few years will support using hormone therapy in younger women for prevention, says Shuster. But we dont have all the information yet.
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Are You Experiencing Unwanted Weight Gain
Most cases of weight gain are influenced by factors like diet and lifestyle choices. However, some people experience unexplained weight gain as they age, even when being consistent in their routines. Fluctuating hormone levels could be the root cause of your excess body fat. This is because hormones can control factors like cravings, energy levels, and even your ability to metabolize food.
If you want to prevent additional weight gain, hormone replacement therapy may help. This treatment is designed to rebalance your hormone levels to address the root cause of your symptoms. Women going through menopause and men experiencing a drop in testosterone levels can visit Avanti Medical Center to learn about the benefits of bioidentical hormone replacement therapy.
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Your High Estrogen Levels Are Expanding Your Fat Cells
Although estrogen is responsible for making women uniquely women, itâs also the hormone that can be the most troublesome in the fat department. At normal levels, estrogen actually helps keep you lean by goosing the production of insulin, a hormone that manages blood sugar. When estrogen gets thrown off, though, it turns you into a weight-gain machine.
Hereâs how: When you eat, your blood sugar rises. Like a bodyguard, insulin lowers it by escorting glucose into three different places in your body. When insulin is in good working formnot too high and not too lowit sends a small amount of glucose to your liver, a large amount to your muscles to use as fuel, and little to none for fat storage.
If youâre healthy and in good shape, your pancreas produces exactly the right amount of insulin to have your blood sugar softly rise and fall within a narrow range . But when your estrogen levels climb, the cells that produce insulin become strained, and you can become insulin resistant.
Thatâs when insulin starts to usher less glucose to the liver and muscles, raising the levels of sugar in your bloodstream and ultimately storing the glucose as fat. Your fat tissue can expand by as much as four times to accommodate the storage of glucose.
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Side Effects Of Oestrogen
The main side effects of taking oestrogen include:
- swelling in other parts of the body
These side effects will often pass after a few weeks. To ease side effects, try:
- taking your oestrogen dose with food, which may help feelings of sickness and indigestion
- eating a low-fat, high-carbohydrate diet, which may reduce breast tenderness
- doing regular exercise and stretching, to help leg cramps
If side effects persist, your GP may recommend switching to a different way of taking oestrogen , changing the medicine you’re taking, or lowering your dose.
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Bioidentical Hormone Doctors Near Me
BHRT therapy might be just what the doctor or another type of medical provider orders. Our practice features Larry Siegel, APRN, and Founder of Yunique Medical, specializing in anti-aging and bioidentical hormone therapy for weight loss through pellets. He also provides various peptide therapies and growth hormone therapy, which improve overall physical performance and well-being. Youll feel an incredible amount of positive change in your first four weeks.
Bioidentical hormone therapy for weight loss with lifestyle modifications is an excellent treatment plan for 35 and older individuals. Combining Yunique Medicals expertise in hormone therapy for weight loss and Functional Medicine allows people to achieve optimal wellness. Contact our highly-trained staff to secure an appointment with one of our providers today.
Yunique Medical provides FUNCTIONAL MEDICINE for optimized health and performance. We offer customized, scientifically advanced treatments to create a new state of human thriving. Why be ordinary when you can be optimal?
HUMAN 2.0 begins here!
Contact us to schedule your FREE consultation at one of our three locations in Florida Ocala, Fruitland Park , and Daytona.
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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.
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Hormone Replacement Therapy For Men
HRT is also available for men to treat symptoms of andropause the male version of menopause, which marked by a drop in testosterone levels that many men experience as part of the natural aging process.
Benefits of HRT for men include increased energy, weight loss, improved mood and mental focus, decreased blood pressure and cholesterol, and improved muscle strength and sexual function.
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Will Hormone Replacement Help Or Hinder Weight Loss
Hi Dr. Fox,for women post menopause, will taking replacement hormones therapy help with weight loss or hinder it? what kinds work best? For preventing excess skin after weight loss the same questions, will taking HRT help and if so what kind/mix? I know there are other health concerns with HRT but I am asking specifically about these two issues. Thank you.
Xtina
Xtina, estrogen supplementation or replacement in menopause always will result in better metabolics, i.e. weight control. Progesterone works against that slightly but with combination therapy, the overall metabolic tendency would be in a healthier direction. If you have a uterus you need balancing progesterone, and if not there is no need for progesterone. I know of no association between hormones and the amount of excess skin after weight loss. Best of luck.
Dr. Fox
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The Aging Process And Hormones
The aging process is a personal rite of passage that many do not experience. We get to see our children grow up, our partners become our best friends, and our hard work finally pays off. We shouldnt have anything to fear or worry about wrinkling skin, hair loss, weight gain, etc. because there are solutions to help your journey through aging be a positive experience.
Hormones are our bodies chemical messengers that send different signals to trigger different physiological responses. We all experience a shift in hormones when our bodies grow older. When we reach our 20s and 30s, our hormones have reached their peak, and we make our mark in the world. Around 35, they start to decline, and some people notice a more drastic drop-off sooner than others.
Hormone Therapy Plus Physical Activity Reduce Belly Fat Body Fat Percentage After Menopause
- Date:
- The Endocrine Society
- Summary:
- Older women who take hormone therapy to relieve menopausal symptoms may get the added benefit of reduced body fat if they are physically active, according to a new study.
Older women who take hormone therapy to relieve menopausal symptoms may get the added benefit of reduced body fat if they are physically active, according to a new study. The results were presented at The Endocrine Societys 91st Annual Meeting in Washington, D.C.
The study provides new information on the health benefits of any type of physical activity, not just exercise, said the presenting author Poli Mara Spritzer, MD, PhD, a professor at the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul in Porto Alegre, Brazil, and chief of the Gynecological Endocrinology Unit at the universitys Hospital de Clinicas de Porto Alegre.
After menopause, a womans percentage of body fat tends to increase and redistribute to the abdomen, Spritzer said. Excess belly fat is a risk factor for diabetes and heart disease. Postmenopausal women who exercise have a lower percentage of body fat than sedentary women, past research shows. However, Spritzer said less is known about the influence on body fat composition of physical activity in women receiving hormone replacement therapy, or HRT. Some data suggest that estrogen treatment may add to the effect of exercise in reducing fat.
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Can I Lose Weight With Hrt
There is also no direct connection between HRT and weight loss. However, balanced hormones will allow your body to regulate the metabolism and may make it easier to lose weight if youre operating at a calorie deficit. In other words, it will help your body work the way it should so that weight loss wont be as difficult.
Occasionally, patients gain weight at the beginning of HRT as their hormones get regulated. But this side effect generally subsides within weeks. And while some patients report losing weight with HRT, thats because the work they were already doing to eat a healthy diet and get exercise can finally pay off.
Currently, research shows that theres no correlation between HRT therapy itself and weight. So, theres no reason to fear a treatment that can significantly improve your quality of life.
Of course, not everyone is a candidate for HRT. Thats why its crucial to see a doctor to discuss your medical history.
Can Hrt Reverse Skin Aging
HRT may help reverse signs of skin aging by regulating hormones responsible for managing inflammation, tissue repair, and cell growth. A decline in estrogen production can cause skin to lose its elasticity and become thinner, which can lead to sagging, fine lines, and wrinkles.
Some menopause symptoms like night sweats, insomnia, and anxiety can lead to loss of sleep and a decrease in the bodys production of melatonin both of which are factors that also contribute to signs of aging. HRT can help women achieve a more youthful appearance by regulating hormones that commonly cause signs of aging.
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Lose Weight This Year With The Help Of Hormone Replacement Therapy
If youre determined to lose weight this year, you should know that diet and exercise arent always the answer. Sometimes you can diligently exercise and watch calories, yet still fail to drop those pesky pounds.
Your struggle to lose weight may be the result of a hormone imbalance thats sabotaging your efforts. Here at BioAge Health, weve helped many patients in Eagan and the Twin City area of Minnesota successfully lose weight by restoring their natural hormones.
As a board-certified bioidentical hormone specialist and weight loss specialist, Dr. Catherine Kodama works closely with each patient, providing support and exceptional help with hormone deficiencies that contribute to weight gain.
Which Hormones Can Help Me Lose Weight
When given in conjunction with a weight loss plan that includes diet and exercise, these hormones can help with weight loss.
Estrogen: Estrogen is a female sex hormone produced by the ovaries, adrenal gland and fat cells. It facilitates the production of Leptin, a protein that regulates metabolism and appetite.
When a womans estrogen levels significantly decrease, her body will search for other sources of estrogen in fat cells, causing the body to store and convert more calories to fat. Bioidentical hormone replacement therapy can help women control their appetite and sugar cravings.
Progesterone: Progesterone is produced in large amounts during and after women ovulate. Its a natural diuretic, so a decrease in progesterone levels during perimenopause and menopause can cause the body to retain excess salt and water.
Progesterone facilitates the conversion of stored body fat to energy. An imbalance can also cause women to overeat.
Testosterone: Produced by both men and women, this hormone inhibits fat storage, especially in the abdomen. Low levels can cause sugar cravings and may lead to insulin resistance.
Testosterone is produced in smaller amounts in women and is the hormone primarily responsible for building and maintaining muscle mass. Because muscle helps burns calories and increases metabolism, a significant decrease in muscle mass can cause metabolism to slow, and weight to increase.
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Does Hormone Therapy Help With Weight Loss
It is normal for body fat to accumulate around our midsection as we age. Even a small amount of weight gain can make us feel uncomfortable about our appearance. When a regular diet and exercise program is not enough to address excess fat, it may be the result of hormonal changes, like menopause. The professionals at Avanti Medical Center offer advanced hormone therapy to reduce these effects.
Hormones are messengers that transmit messages from one part of the body to another. Men and women produce fewer hormones with each passing year, so the signals become less effective. Growth and development, sexual function, sleep, and eating habits are all affected by these changes. If your weight gain is the result of hormone changes, meet with a member of our team about bioidentical hormone replacement therapy in Lehi, UT.
Does Hormone Replacement Cause Weight Gain In Perimenopause Women
Women often have to face climacteric problems before 45. The reason for that can be cancer, long-time sickness, dysfunction of the endocrine system, or removal of reproductive body organs. They experience untimely hormonal collapse and demand the best hormone replacement for weight loss and other negative factors of perimenopause. If a person doesnt have contradicting hormone therapy for weight loss conditions, she will proceed to HRT immediately.
Does hormone therapy cause weight gain in women who suffer from ill-timed menopause? Hormone replacement therapy and weight loss are more effective if applied earlier. A woman starts getting more tummy fat in perimenopause. Consequently, surgical menopause weight gain can be slowed down or prevented due to hormone therapy for weight loss at the early stages.
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The Role Of Hormones In Weight Loss
Understanding the role hormones play in your body and how bioidentical hormones affect your body regulating your weight will help you choose the best treatment option.
When added to a healthy diet and proper exercise, these hormones can help you lose those extra unwanted pounds. These hormones include:
- Sex hormones: Testosterone, estrogen, and progesterone are sex hormones produced by both men and women that regulate weight. Testosterone found in men breaks down fat stored, especially in the abdomen. Estrogen helps with womens appetite and cravings. And progesterone aids in converting fat stored in the body into energy. When these hormone levels become low or unbalanced, weight management becomes hard, hence weight gain or loss.
- Growth Hormone: Human growth hormones play the main role in the human bodys growth. Height, muscle, and bone growth are all influenced by this hormone. HGH helps regulate fat burning in the body and inhibits the production of body fats.
- Insulin: This is the hormone responsible for carrying glucose to the cells. It also aids in regulating fat metabolism, causing the bodys energy to be released, and maintaining balanced glucose levels.
- Pregnenolone: It is a steroid hormone whose key role is to regulate other hormones, boost metabolism, increase energy, and improve mood.