As men and women age, they begin to experience a drop in hormones such as estrogen, testosterone, and progesterone, which can leave them with symptoms like hot flashes, night sweats, migraines, irritability, insomnia, and more. Fortunately, OM MediSpa in Elgin, IL offers a way to restore the balance in your body with bioidentical hormones, a hormone replacement therapy (HRT) that has fewer harsh side effects than traditional HRT.
Should You Take Bioidentical Hormones? 5 Key Benefits
#1: They Match Your Body’s Hormones
This is the number one benefit of bioidentical HRT because, rather than trying to balance your body with hormones from other mammals, bioidentical HRT is developed from plant sources to match the hormones of humans down to the last molecule. Since the hormones that are introduced to your body are identical to what the body is used to, they are not rejected as often as non-human hormones, which means fewer side effects for you, even if you take them long-term.
Bioidentical HRT can be administered in a variety of ways, including as a tablet, a topical formula, an oral formula, or as a surgically implanted pellet. You and your doctor will determine which method is best for you based on your preferences and lifestyle. It’ll take about 10 days for your body to get used to the elevated levels of hormones, but it won’t be long until you’ll notice your symptoms abating and your energy climbing, along with your mood.
#2: Relieves Hot Flashes and Night Sweats
Hot flashes are the most common complaint of women going through menopause, with night sweats being hot flashes that occur when you’re sleeping. A hot flash is characterized as a sudden feeling of warmth that may be accompanied by a flushed face and sweating. The blood vessels near the surface of your face, neck, and hands expand to cool off, causing a sudden rush of blood to the area. You may also simultaneously experience chills and a rapid heartbeat.
Although doctors are not entirely sure what causes hot flashes, they believe they are related to your hypothalamus, which controls your body’s temperature. If your hormones are not balanced correctly, your hypothalamus overreacts to any change in temperature, causing your body to respond as if it is cold by creating heat. With bioidentical HRT, your hormones become balanced and your hypothalamus becomes less reactive. With hot flashes occurring on average for seven years for most women, treatment is essential.
#3: Improves Your Mood
The hormones estrogen and progesterone increase the levels of serotonin in your body, and serotonin is responsible for improving mood. Moreover, estrogen boosts the number of serotonin receptors, which means you’ll feel more of the serotonin hitting your body as well. Progesterone, on the other hand, helps reduce anxiety and restlessness. Low estrogen and progesterone levels are also correlated with depression, especially in women going through menopause. Drops in testosterone for men are also linked to depression, anxiety, and moodiness.
When these hormones are balanced out using bioidentical HRT, you no longer have the drops that lead to depressed moods. These hormones tell your brain that all is well in the body and your mood follows right along. Additionally, a better mood will help increase your motivation for activity during the day, helping you sleep better at night. The better sleep will further enhance your mood, meaning bioidentical HRT creates a positive cycle that keeps your body healthy.
#4: Better Sex
For women, when estrogen levels drop, it can reduce the level of moisture in the vagina, which then leads to less lubrication during sexual intercourse. This can make intimacy uncomfortable and even painful. By adding estrogen back into your body through bioidentical HRT, you are also adding moisture back into your vagina, thereby making sex pleasurable again. Additionally, estrogen helps rejuvenate the skin around your genital area, so you’ll likely notice fewer urinary leaks as well.
For men, there is a noticeable drop in libido when testosterone levels decrease. When you add bioidentical testosterone back into your body, you’ll also notice a renewed interest in having sexual intercourse again. Plus, increased levels of testosterone will help you feel less tired and more energetic, so you’ll actually feel like you did when you were younger and could have sex as often as possible. Regaining your libido will also have a positive effect on your mood as well.
#5: Healthier Skin, Hair, and Nails
As mentioned above, bioidentical HRT helps rejuvenate the skin, but it’s not only in your genital area that you’ll notice an improvement. When you return your body’s hormonal balance, it will begin producing more collagen and elastin, which in turn will give your skin a natural lift. You’ll notice less skin sagging, fewer wrinkles, tighter skin, and smoother skin. Your hair and nails will also grow like you haven’t seen them grow for years!
When testosterone levels decrease, hair can stop growing or grow much more slowly, leading to bald spots or a receding hairline. As you replace your lost testosterone, you’ll notice your hair beginning to regrow, and it will be healthier as well. Not only will your hair, nails, and skin be healthier with bioidentical HRT, but your bones will be, too, because bone resorption will stabilize, reducing your risk of osteoporosis and other bone conditions.
Next Steps
Once you realize how bioidentical hormones can improve your life without most of the side effects of traditional HRT, you really have nothing to lose by trying bioidentical HRT. Call OM MediSpa in Elgin, IL right away and we’ll schedule your consultation and help you get your body back in control.
