Safe and Effective Bio-Identical Hormone Replacement

Alan Weiss MD
Annapolis Integrative Medicine
1616 Forest Drive
Annapolis MD 21403
(410) 266-3613

Bio-Identical Hormone replacement is a hot topic. While hormone replacement is not for everybody, for those who do choose to use them a very big difference can be made in one’s health.

Simply said, hormones are chemical messengers that are created in one part of the body and sent elsewhere to produce an effect. Without hormones, we could not live, could not function, and could not reproduce. Examples of hormones include testosterone, estrogen, progesterone, DHEA, and many others (like insulin!)

It is commonly recognized that as we age our hormone levels often decline. However, another way of viewing this relationship is that as our hormone levels decline, the aging process is accelerated. Bio-identical hormone replacement is an approach where the natural hormonal status of a man or woman is optimized to allow for health and well being in the safest possible way.
This is done by using hormones that are chemically and molecularly identical to the hormones that are already in the human body. It is important to draw this distinction because many of the hormones that have been studied and that (legitimately) aroused concern about the safety of hormone therapy have been hormones that are synthetic and do not necessarily belong in the human body and do not promote optimal health.

While there are not as many studies done on bio-identical hormone therapy as with the synthetic hormones (due to the enormous cost of medical studies that will only be done when the pharmaceutical companies can make huge profits out of synthetic medications) it makes intuitive sense that the hormones that belong in the human body are the ones we were born with!  And there are studies that do demonstrate the safety and benefits of bio-identical hormone therapy (BHRT).

So, what are the uses and benefits of BHRT? While some women do very well in menopause with just a few symptoms, many others have a very difficult time with it and some are nearly incapacitated. Treating the symptoms of menopause with safe and effective doses of estrogen, progesterone, and in some testosterone, can make a very big difference in how a woman navigates menopause. As well, judicious use of hormones can improve heart health, cognitive function, and bone health.

Men who suffer low testosterone levels are at a higher risk of dying from many causes than are men with normal levels of testosterone. As well, low testosterone can cause fatigue, loss of muscle mass, low libido, elevated cholesterol and can play a role in the development of diabetes and the metabolic syndrome. By replacing this hormone to an optimal level a man can experience heightened vitality and well-being, often in a very surprising way.