Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy (BHRT)

What are bioidentical hormones?

Hormones are chemical messengers that govern a large number of your body’s normal activities, including sleep, sex, metabolism, temperature, and energy. As you get older or are under undue stress, your hormone production can decrease, causing uncomfortable symptoms.

Bioidentical hormones are a way to restore your natural hormone levels. An alternative to chemical- or animal-derived hormones used in traditional hormone replacement therapy, bioidentical hormones offer a natural solution. They’re made from plant ingredients, namely soybeans and yams, and exactly match the hormones produced by your body on a molecular level.

What makes bioidentical hormones unique?

In addition to being a natural option and able to match your natural hormones’ molecular structure, bioidentical hormones can be customized by a compounding pharmacy to match your exact needs. The experienced providers at Pohala Clinic PC may recommend bioidentical hormones to restore levels of:

• Estrogen

• Progesterone

• Thyroid hormones

• Testosterone

You may also benefit from replacement DHEA, an adrenal precursor to testosterone that can help men and women.

Am I a candidate for bioidentical hormone replacement therapy?

If you’re experiencing the common signs of aging, such as low energy, weight gain, and fuzzy thinking, you may simply need your hormone levels restored. As you get older, you don’t always produce the hormones necessary to keep your body functioning properly. The glands that produce hormones age, just like other organs in your body, and slow their production. Women in perimenopause and menopause suffer a decrease in estrogen and progesterone that can cause problems, such as vaginal dryness, poor libido, night sweats, hot flashes, and headaches. Men may experience erectile dysfunction, muscle loss, and low energy due to low testosterone levels.

Indications that you might benefit from bioidentical hormones include:

• Loss of libido

• Fatigue

• Hot flashes and night sweats

• Low energy

• Problems with sleep

• Mood changes and foggy thinking

• Weight gain and muscle loss

• Erectile dysfunction

• Vaginal dryness and painful sexual intercourse

Bioidentical hormone replacement therapy may also be appropriate for patients whose hormones are out of balance due to a medical condition or for women in the postnatal period.

How are bioidentical hormones administered?

Before you’re prescribed bioidentical hormones, our team at Pohala Clinic PC do a thorough review of your health history and your current status.

Bioidentical hormones come in the form of creams, injections, and pellets for both men and women. Pellets are administered under your skin and serve as time-released hormones. The dose of your hormones is adjusted according to your symptoms and needs, keeping it to the minimum required to achieve your health goals. You may receive just one hormone or a combination, depending on your needs.

If you’re suffering from symptoms that suggest a hormone imbalance, call Pohala Clinic PC or schedule a consultation online.