What is Bio Identical Hormones Replacement Therapy?

Bio Identical Hormones are derived from Diosgenin, an active ingredient of wild yam and soya. As these are structurally similar to the human hormones they are also known as Human-Identical Hormones or Iso-Molecular Hormones. Being structurally similar these hormones are read by the body as own and hence rejuvenate the body with minimal adverse effects.

It's not about one's calendar age. It's all about the productive and active age. Bio Identical hormone replacement therapy improves the productive age and hence is an important tool in the field of antiaging.

This does not mean that Bio Identical hormones are cure for all. Once the imbalances are diagnosed clinically and with laboratory investigations then BIHRT can bring a big positive change in one's life.

BIHRT topical creams and capsules work to correct hormonal deficiencies that can be present from birth using only natural plant based ingredients.

For starters, BIHRT can be used to deal with issues relating to the onset of adolescence like acne or mood swings.

Those in their 20's and 30's might be aided by BIHRT in dealing with post partum depression, night sweats and infertility.

In addition, BIHRT can help alleviate bloating, PMS, migraines, breast tenderness, fibroids, ovarian cysts, endometriosis, decreased attention span and weight gain.

For those in their 40's and beyond, sleep disorders, migraines, hair loss, hot flashes, depression, decreased bone mass, bloating, weight gain and low libido can be managed with BIHRT.

Basically, BIHRT can be used under supervision at any age through the proper evaluation of hormone deficiency documented with lab investigations.

• When should you start thinking about Bio-Identical Hormone Replacement?

  This question is just like, "When should I start thinking about my own health?"

  If you are concerned about your health and want a good quality of life, there is no specific time or age when you should start thinking about BIHRT.

  Hormonal deficiencies can be present from birth. That is one reason why test for hypothyroidism is mandatory in all newborn babies- the thyroid hormone is essential for normal physical and mental development of a baby.

  As far as therapeutic wellness and overall wellness is concerned, hormones play a very important role.

• What are the risk of Bio-identical Hormone Replacement Therapy?

  As with any prescription medication, the benefits and risks of using BIHRT must be carefully weighed. Studies show, however, that BIHRT in physiological doses (equivalent to what your body used to make) produces significantly fewer negative side effects than synthetic hormones. Many patients have reported no negative side effects while using BIHRT.

  By transdermal application of the bioidentical hormones, they are absorbed directly into the blood stream. By this method, the patient can effectively eliminate the first-pass, in which the hormone is metabolized in the liver to produce harmful metabolites.

  This alternative route of administration is a more consistent and natural way to introduce medication into the body with minimal side effects, if any.

  Although bioidentical hormones are natural and safe, they are still hormones and need judicious monitoring by a trained physician. Unsupervised and inaccurate dosing can cause usual side effects, as with any medicine.

• Guide to Successful Hormone Therapy

  • Use physiological doses

  
  
  

  Physiological doses are doses that are a fraction of the normal daily secretion of a hormone up to the maximal daily secretion in young healthy adults.

  Supraphysiological (pharmacological) doses are doses are above the maximal daily secretion in young healthy adults.

  Overdoses (or excessive doses) are doses of a treatment that are too high for the individual who receives it. Overdoses can be supraphysiological or physiological but always exceed what is necessary to correct an individual's deficiency.

  A physician can estimate the optimal dose by checking the patient's lab tests, complaints at interview and signs at if there are any complaints or physical signs of deficiency or excess in your hormone treatment that may make a change in dose necessary.

  • Take human, bioidentical hormones

  
  
  

  Important differences in action and safety exits between human (bioidentical) hormones and non - human (non - bioidentical) hormones. Bioidentical hormones have a structure that is exactly the same as the structure of the hormone naturally secreted by the human body. In from that of the natural hormones.most are synthetically modified such as, ethinylestradiol that is used in birth control pills. It is a synthetic derivative of the natural female hormones, estradiol. Non - human or non - bioidentical hormones may also be natural hormones that come from another species such as conjugated estrogens that comes from the urine of the pregnant mares and differ from human estradiol .

  Non - human or non - bioidentical hormones have different structures from the natural- to- the- human body or bioidentical hormones. The different structure can cause excessive binding or unstable and incomplete binding to the hormones receptor sites and therefore cause different effects. In addition, the human liver was not meant to process these hormones, the breakdown of non- bioindentical derivatives often takes place at a slower pace, permitting these hormones to accumulate in the body. In certain circumstances, the slower breakdown provides an advantage compared to bio identical hormones that may be broken down too quickly. Nevertheless, the slower, more difficult breakdown may lead to adverse effects such as liver damage by the excessive accumulation of hormones accumulating in the liver, or by the promotion of breast cancer by synthetic progestogens.

  • Get all the important hormone deficiencies simultaneously corrected

  
  
  

  Hormones are designed to be in balance with one another. A major goal of the treatment is to have a good balance among all the hormones.

  Most of the hormones stimulate or slow down the production or effects of other hormones. A fundamental principle to achieve good balancing is that it is often safer and more efficient to treat all important hormone deficiencies when starting a treatment, than to treat only one and do the rest later.

  For example, thyroid and the growth hormones replacement treatments are often not well tolerated if a person has cortisol deficiency. In addition, usually estradiol is not tolerated and unsafe without administering progesterone in conjunction.

  A patient must have in mind that severe hormones deficiency cause many problem when left untreated including making a person intolerant to replacement therapies for other hormone deficiency.

  • Submit yourselves to regular follow ups

  
  
  

  Patients, who receive hormone replacement, should be check regularly. I personally recommended regular follow-up visits once the initial therapy is producing stable effects, over any time when adjustment are necessary due to changes in diet, work, sports, sleep, disease and stress.

  • You should fully involve yourself and cooperate with your physician in your treatment.

  
  
  

  Get as much complete information as possible from your physician - on what's, how's and why's of detected deficiencies and how to treat them.

  Get detailed explanations of the possible causes, and consequences of the hormone deficiencies, on the signs and symptoms of over- and under doses of the treatment and on the most frequent treatment problems that may occur. The information that is gathered in this process will boost your interest in and inspire you to become a hard-working and reliable partner, with your physician, in your treatment in maximizing the results of therapy.

  • The treatment must be adapted to your willingness and motivation to be treated.

  
  
  

  Strategically, it may be a losing situation for a physician to insist on treating a moderate deficiency if you as a patient for whatever reason refuse to be treated for that particular deficiency. Insisting a little too much may make that you rebel and not only make you refuse the given hormone treatment, but also refuse to follow the other treatments that are critical to your health. Try to keep an open mind and to try the treatment for several months , before refusing the option.

  • As a patient, contact your physician when necessary

  
  
  

  Side effects may occur. Questions of importance may arise in your head as a patient. When you quickly contact your physician for answers and solutions, most problems are quickly solved. Do not wait too long. It is often easier for your physician to find a solution for a recent problem than for a difficulty that has been lingering on for some months. A close collaboration with their treating physician greatly enhances the patient's trust and ease with the treatment.

  • The hormone therapies should be balanced with one another judiciously

  
  
  

  A good knowledge of the effects of one hormone therapy on other endocrine activities helps the physician and patient to balance and optimize hormone treatments. Often, dosages of a hormone therapy may be reduced when another corrective hormone treatment is given that increases the efficacy of the treatment. On the other hand, the dosage of the hormone treatment may need to be increased, if the second hormone treatment reduces the efficiency of the original hormone therapy.

To know more about BIHRT