Our hormones regulate most of the functions in our bodies. They are chemical messengers that travel throughout the body and coordinate everything from growth to metabolism to fertility.
But as we age, especially after women pass menopause, our glands produce less of certain hormones and this can lead to imbalances. These are what lead to hot flashes and weight gain in women.
Dr. Jensen now offers bioidentical hormone replacement therapy for our female patients to help correct hormone imbalance.
What are bioidentical hormones?
Bioidentical hormones are simply man-made hormones that are very similar to those produced by the body. The bioidentical hormones we use at Dr. Jensen’s are created from a plant chemical that is found in yams and soy. The common hormones that are matched are estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone.
What is hormone replacement therapy?
Hormone replacement therapy uses medications containing female hormones
to replace those that the body has ceased making after menopause in women. Hormone replacement therapy is used to treat common menopausal symptoms and is used to prevent bone loss in some postmenopausal women. At Dr. Jensen’s we use bioidentical hormones to treat women going through menopause. They can also be effective for treating perimenopause and severe premenstrual syndrome.
Am I a candidate for bioidentical hormone replacement therapy?
There are some risks involved with hormone replacement therapy, but it still presents the most effective treatment for menopausal symptoms. The benefits likely outweigh your risks if these symptoms sound like you:
- You’ve lost bone mass and other treatments either aren’t working, or your body can’t tolerate them.
- You’re experiencing moderate to severe hot flashes or other menopausal symptoms
- You stopped having periods before the age of 40 (premature menopause) or you lost normal function of your ovaries before age 40.
Women who have early menopause have a higher risk of these conditions:
- Osteoporosis
- Heart disease
- Early death
- Parkinsonism (symptoms akin to Parkinson’s)
- Anxiety or depression
For women who enter menopause early, the protective benefits of bioidentical hormone therapy usually outweigh the risks.
Do you have the symptoms described above? Call Dr. Jensen at (385) 424-4567 and let’s set up a consultation for bioidentical hormone replacement therapy.