What is Hormone Replacement Therapy?

Pellet therapy is a method of delivery that dates back to the 1930s and offers both convenience and effective treatment. A tiny pellet, about the size of a grain of rice, is inserted under the skin and is slowly metabolized over 3 to 6 months, delivering a dose of hormones that is vastly similar to the natural dosing cycle of the human body. There is no risk of transference, no worry about remembering to slather on a cream or take a pill, and the therapy is administered in even doses throughout the treatment cycle, avoiding significant highs and lows.

Hormone therapy is the use of hormones to treat and restore hormone balance within the human body. Hormone imbalance can occur for a variety of reasons, but is most commonly associated with aging. Symptoms of hormone imbalance that are effectively treated with hormone replacement therapy include hot flashes, night sweats, irritability, anxiety, weight gain, muscle loss, joint pain, poor sleep, and more.

Dr. Watson offers bioidentical hormone replacement therapy integrated with functional medicine practices to help patients overcome the negative symptoms of hormone imbalance, as well as experience wellbeing and better health as they age. Every treatment plan is designed to suit the unique needs of each patient’s personal medical history, health status, and lifestyle preferences.

Synthetic vs. Bioidentical Hormone Therapy

Bioidentical hormone replacement therapy (BHRT) uses bioidentical hormones derived from natural sources and compounded to be an exact structural match to the hormones inside the human body.

Synthetic hormones are often derived from animals and combined with chemicals to create a hormone therapy that is similar, but *not* exactly like human hormones.

The natural ingredients combined with the molecular match allows bioidentical hormones to fit into human hormone receptors exactly as naturally-occurring hormones. This feature ensures the safety and efficacy of the treatment. With synthetic hormones, the molecular structure is merely *similar*, causing the body to struggle with recognition of the substance and, therefore, causing side effects and poor outcomes.

In the past, most research into hormone therapy focused on synthetic hormones, but as the effectiveness of bioidentical hormone therapy has become renowned, researchers are turning their attention to BHRT. Bioidentical hormones have been heralded as a natural hormone therapy option and are effective for disease prevention as well as eliminating uncomfortable symptoms that often occur as part of the aging process.

Most famously, the Women’s Health Initiative (WHI) suggested that hormone therapy was dangerous. At the time, this was the largest-ever study on hormone therapy. It was designed to compare the efficacy of estrogen-only therapy and a combination of progesterone and estrogen therapies. For the study, researchers used synthetic hormones and many of the participants were of advanced age and higher risk of disease before the study began. These factors led many experts to review the study and uncover flaws in the methodologies used. These reviews have led large medical organizations, experts, and communities to revise previous policies against the use of hormone therapy. Today, the known benefits of hormone replacement therapy are numerous and it is believed to be the best treatment option for hormone imbalance and prevention of disease.

New research has also linked the use of bioidentical hormone therapy to better outcomes, finding that patients have fewer side effects along with enhanced benefits.

Types of Hormone Replacement Therapy

Patients suffering from conditions and symptoms of hormone imbalance, including menopause, andropause (also known as low testosterone in men), erectile dysfunction, vaginal dryness, pain with sex, difficulty sleeping, trouble losing weight, muscle aches, and moodiness can benefit from natural hormone replacement therapy. Bioidentical hormone therapy is available in a variety of delivery methods and are prescribed to meet the specific needs of each individual.

Thyroid Hormone Therapy

Approximately 12 percent of the U.S. population suffers from thyroid dysfunction, yet 60 percent of Americans are undiagnosed. This is often due to the ambiguous nature of symptoms, which classically masquerade as symptoms of stress, aging, or even depression and anxiety. Untreated thyroid dysfunction can increase your risk of other diseases or worsen the impact of other conditions, such as diabetes or heart disease.

If you feel tired all the time, struggle with sleep, weight gain, depression, anxiety, or mood swings–it might be a hormone imbalance related to your thyroid. The thyroid influences nearly every cell in the body, making any dysfunction a significant issue.

The good news is that thyroid hormone imbalances can be treated; however, not just any treatment will do. Treatment must begin with accurate lab testing of all the hormones that play a role in thyroid function, including: thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), T3, T4, reverse T3, and cortisol. Your practitioner should evaluate all of these hormones throughout the treatment process to adequately assess thyroid function and determine the progress of treatment.

Thyroid dysfunction can impact your overall health and contribute to uncomfortable symptoms. EVEXIAS Health Solutions trains providers to expertly assess lab results, looking beyond obscure ranges of “normal” and seeking to achieve optimal health and function for each patient. If you are concerned about your thyroid health or are experiencing symptoms of hormone imbalance, it is time to find a provider near you.

Estrogen Hormone Therapy

As a woman ages, estrogen levels decline, with sharp decreases occurring near middle age. Low levels of estrogen have been shown to contribute to uncomfortable symptoms, such as hot flashes, night sweats, low libido, weight gain, mood swings, and more. Although the dramatic decline and affiliated symptoms are classically linked to perimenopause and menopause, low estrogen can occur before middle age.

Women experiencing symptoms of low estrogen should have their hormone levels evaluated by an expert who is trained to carefully analyze lab results and understands the delicate nature of hormonal imbalance. Though your lab results may show that your levels are within “normal” range, it may not be the definition of “normal” for you. Providers trained in hormone balance know that there is a distinct difference between “normal” and optimal.

Low levels of estrogen can impact your overall health and contribute to uncomfortable symptoms. Either condition can occur with menopause. Estrogen pellet therapy may be an effective solution to low estrogen and can help relieve symptoms of hormone imbalance. EvexiPEL estrogen pellet therapy is a bioidentical hormone therapy option that uses the highest-quality ingredients, proprietary formulation, and requires advanced-level training for all EvexiPEL-certified providers.

Testosterone Hormone Therapy

Many people believe that testosterone is the male hormone. However, both men and women make and need testosterone for optimal health. Testosterone plays a significant role in male and female sexual health, brain health, and weight management. As testosterone levels decline with age, you may experience a lack of focus, brain fog, low libido, an inability to build muscle, or weight gain.

Testosterone therapy helps patients identify and restore hormone levels to an optimal state to eliminate symptoms and enhance health and wellbeing. Testosterone therapy is also effective in supporting a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease, stroke and heart attack. Testosterone therapy is available as injections, creams, and pellets. Testosterone pellet therapy is renowned as the most effective form of testosterone therapy.

How Much Does Hormone Therapy Cost?

Hormone therapy costs less than you think. In fact, many plans cost less per day than you might pay for one of those fancy cups of coffee at popular coffeehouses.

In many cases, your labs are covered by insurance, meaning it doesn’t cost you anything to identify the areas your body may be deficient. Following your labs, you will often have a consultation with your provider to review your lab results, and talk about your options for treatment.

Most men and women choose pellet therapy because it reduces the risk of dosing errors, wasted medication, and delivers superior results. For men, a single pellet may last between 5 and 7 months, often dependent on factors like stress and activity level. For women, a single pellet lasts between 3 and 5 months, depending on the same factors as men.