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Hormones are an essential part of the metabolic process of living. Hormones are important for the cells, organs, and metabolism. Our hormones decline through aging, menopause, disease, or trauma. When this happens, we begin an accelerated aging process. Loss of hormones is one of the major reasons for our deterioration as we get older, both physically and mentally. Hormones are beneficial at any age, but the best long-term protective benefits are achieved if hormones are replaced when you begin to lose them, usually starting in your 40s.
Bioidentical hormones, unlike synthetic hormones, are custom-compounded into different doses & strengths recommended by your medical doctor or nurse practitioner to meet your individual needs. This unique feature is the reason many forms of bioidentical hormone replacement therapy are not patented and regulated by the FDA.
***** Although the Canadian custom compounding pharmacy we use in Ontario only uses ingredients that are approved by the FDA & Health Canada
In recent years, hormones have been subject of bad press. Beware of what you believe. Most reports are studies that used synthetic (not bio-identical) hormones and used combinations that are not natural to your body and state of health.
Bioidentical hormones are substances with the exact same molecular structure as what your body would normally produce if it could and they generate the same physiological responses as your body’s natural hormones.
BHRT products have been approved by Health Canada to treat menopausal symptoms such as hot flashes, night sweats, anxiety, moodiness, and vaginal dryness plus other symptoms, and in some cases, to prevent osteoporosis and in men for Andropause symptoms & low testosterone.
Symptoms can include but are not limited to in women: difficult menopause, PMS and painful periods, irregular periods, fertility issues, adult acne, endometriosis, fibroids, ovarian cysts, abnormal hair growth, weight gain, muscle loss, insomnia, decreased libido, fatigue, thyroid dysfunction, bone loss, anxiety, depression, cognitive decline, etc.
Men can experience much of the above as well as erectile dysfunction.
The only way to know if you need bioidentical hormone replacement therapy is through specific laboratory blood testing. There are specific lab panels available to determine if your hormones are imbalanced.
Hormones are self-administered & are custom made for the individual patient in many different formats:
Examples: transdermal creams, topical gels & creams, oral capsules, sublingual tablets, pills, tinctures, combinations, or subcutaneous injections, slow release capsules, sublingual drops, suppositories, and sublingual troche, + scalp solutions/hair growth, and custom Thyroid.
How often you take the BHRT depends on what the MD or NP will recommend via prescription. Usually daily.
Side-effects are often minimal and manageable when restoring hormones to physiological levels (to the levels your body has seen before). Some patients report breast tenderness or swollen joints when first starting bio-identical hormone replacement therapy; these and other adverse reactions can be remedied by reducing the dosage until symptoms resolve. (Please call us & we will adjust the dosage).
You should continue treatment as long as you wish to see results. You will also need BHRT for disease protection.
In general, supplementation by exogenous (external) hormones will result in decreased endogenous (internal) production. However, the body tends to restore hormones to pre-treatment levels after cessation of treatment. If your own hormone production was low before treatment, it will most likely return to the same levels after treatment. As a result, most of the physical changes enabled by the program will gradually revert back to “your old normal self & symptoms”.
Results of saliva or blood testing are approximately 5-10 days from the time the lab receives your samples. Lab results will be sent directly to the Live Well Clinic at which time we will book a follow-up appointment to go over results and suggestions for your customized prescription therapy.
Bioidentical hormones are individualized preparations designed to specifically match the values indicated in your blood work. Unlike conventional pharmacies, which prescribe a “one size fits all” synthetic hormone prescription, custom compounding pharmacies design bioidentical hormone replacement therapies detailed to your body’s individualized levels and needs. These pharmacies are similar to the old fashioned concept of a pharmacist with a mortar and pestle. They acquire the pure pharmaceutical-grade hormones and compound it into the form, strength and dosage ordered by your physician or nurse practitioner as pills, capsules, liquids and creams (see full list of examples above). They are prepared specifically for you, making your treatment program customized and personalized. Keep in mind not all custom compounding pharmacies are equal. Be sure to use a top rated expert compounding pharmacy.
We currently restore testosterone using transdermal testosterone cream and hCG, human chorionic gonadotropin. Using the cream, the testes will likely slow production of testosterone in response to (perceived) higher levels. This condition also may result in minor atrophy or shrinking of the testes. HCG emulates luteinizing hormone, which stimulates the testes to produce their own testosterone, thereby preserving their function and size. This product is injected each morning by the patient using an insulin syringe.
