The important role that hormones play in our mental and physical health and wellbeing is often overlooked. However, hormones are an essential part of many of our bodies’ natural processes, and, as we age, our bodies’ production of hormones changes. Sometimes this can lead to hormonal imbalances. Thankfully, through utilizing recent advances in bioidentical hormone therapy, we at Priority You MD in Clearwater, FL have been able to give many of our clients a renewed quality of life.
While the potential benefits of bioidentical hormone therapy–also known as bioidentical hormone replacement therapy, or BHRT–are numerous, they vary significantly from person to person based on that individual’s personal hormonal balance and the specific ailments the hormone therapy is intended to target. To better understand the potential benefits of BHRT, it is important first to understand what hormone therapy is and what symptoms it is effective in addressing.
Hormone therapy typically is used to correct hormonal imbalances in the body. Just as hormonal imbalances can cause a wide range of different symptoms, they also can be caused by many factors other than simple aging.
Every person’s hormonal balance naturally changes as they age, but hormonal imbalances also can be triggered for other reasons. These potential triggers include:
Identifying the cause of a hormonal imbalance can be an important step in rectifying it. Additionally, it is important to understand exactly which hormones are imbalanced in order to assist the body in achieving a more healthy balance.
Because hormones play an essential role in virtually every important bodily function, a hormonal imbalance can have wide-ranging and far-reaching ramifications for an individual’s health and wellbeing. Because what constitutes a healthy hormonal balance differs between males and females, and because hormones play different roles in both sexes, the symptoms of a hormonal imbalance vary as well.
Despite cultural stereotypes often associating hormonal imbalances and the resulting symptoms with females, the male body also depends on a delicate balance of hormones in order to maintain optimum health, wellness, and performance. The impacts of hormones on men range from mental health to physical health to sexual performance.
In the popular imagination, hormones are strongly associated with moods and mental health. While this is by no means hormones’ only or even most important role in the human body, it certainly is true that hormonal balance (or lack thereof) can play a huge part in one’s mental wellbeing. Some of the mental health symptoms associated with hormonal imbalances in men include:
Often, we simply dismiss an increase in moodiness or irritability as an inevitable fact of growing older. However, there is nothing “natural” about a hormonal imbalance, and achieving a proper hormonal balance can vastly improve your quality of life and feelings of satisfaction. It’s not an exaggeration to say that maintaining proper hormonal balances can help improve relationships and even save lives by addressing symptoms like depression.
The physical symptoms of hormonal imbalances in men can have a tremendous effect on health, wellbeing, and quality of life. Too often people shrug and accept these symptoms without realizing there is something that can be done about it. These symptoms include:
If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, don’t simply accept them as a fact of life or rush to try a drug that simply masks the symptoms without addressing the underlying cause. Many of these symptoms are a result of hormonal imbalances and can be remedied by achieving proper hormonal balance.
One thing that men rarely like to talk about but which occupies a permanent spot at the forefront of their minds are problems they may be experiencing in the bedroom. As with some mental health issues, sexual performance issues are often attributed to just “getting older.” However, this does not have to be the case. A number of sexual performance issues experienced in males are caused by hormonal imbalances, and they can be remedied by re-attaining an optimal hormonal balance. These symptoms can include:
Sometimes men experiencing some or all of these symptoms will immediately rush to try to a pharmaceutical solution such as the little blue pill when really all they need is an adjustment to their hormonal balance. And, by addressing the actual cause of the symptoms rather than merely masking them with medication, hormone therapy will correct other issues you may not even know your body is having due to their symptoms being less noticeable, at least in the short term.
Historically, women seeking professional help for symptoms related to hormonal imbalances sadly have often had a hard time being taken seriously. However, thanks to advancements in both medical science and gender equality, we now have a greater understanding of what causes the symptoms described by women suffering from hormonal imbalances.
The popular stereotype of an individual suffering from hormonal imbalance is the menopausal female. While it certainly is true that the process of menopause causes a great many changes in the hormones and hormonal balance, it also is true that women of all ages can experience hormonal imbalances and the resulting symptoms. As with men, the symptoms of hormonal imbalances in women impact all areas of life, from the mental to the physical to the sexual.
While hormones are perhaps associated with the inaccurate stereotype of female mood swings to an exaggerated degree, hormonal balance does have a large impact on our mental health as human beings. And because the biology of the two sexes differs, some of the mental health issues associated with hormonal imbalance also differ. The mental health symptoms of hormonal imbalances in women include:
Due to fundamental biological differences between males and females, the physical symptoms experienced by women suffering from hormonal imbalances vary somewhat from those experienced by men. These physical symptoms include:
Obviously, hormones play an enormous role in sexual performance in both sexes. Some of the sexual performance issues that hormonal imbalances can cause in women include:
With a better understanding of what hormonal imbalances are and what symptoms they can cause, let’s take a closer look at what bioidentical hormone therapy is and what it can do for you. Bioidentical hormone replacement therapy, or BHRT, involves rectifying hormonal imbalances to produce an optimal balance of hormones in the body. Which hormones are used in hormone therapy will vary based on the individual needs of the client.
The first step in any effective hormone therapy is to establish what the present state of the body’s hormonal balance is. Only then can one really determine which hormones are necessary for attaining optimal balance. Any practitioner who claims he or she can achieve hormonal balance without first conducting a thorough and accurate hormone test should be viewed with skepticism.
At Priority You MD, our highly trained hormone specialists are experienced in several different methods of hormone testing. Hormone tests can be performed using the client’s blood, saliva, urine, or any combination of the three.
Our hormone specialists use these hormone tests before and during hormone treatment to perform a number of functions vital to helping our clients identify and correct hormonal imbalances. These functions include:
Based on the results from the hormone testing, our specialists create a personalized treatment regimen specific to each client. These treatment regimens can include a combination of hormone therapies delivered in various ways or combinations of ways. The best treatment for you will depend on your unique situation.
Bioidentical hormones are developed to match the body’s own hormones, thereby helping the body to achieve its naturally optimal hormone balance. Bioidentical hormones can be applied via a variety of methods. In some instances, our specialists recommend the use of vitamin supplements to optimize the results from hormone therapy.
Given the enormous importance they have in so many of our bodies’ vital processes, it is perhaps unsurprising that there is a wide range of ailments that can be caused by a hormonal imbalance. Although they can arise from a number of causes and can result in an equally large number of ailments, hormones sometimes are overlooked when it comes to treating patients in modern medicine.
From mental health problems to physical ailments to sexual performance issues, symptoms arising from hormonal imbalances run the full panoply of bodily functions and strike at the very heart of our quality of life. If you are suffering from any of the ailments listed above, or simply are tired of not feeling your best, you may benefit greatly from bioidentical hormone replacement therapy from Priority You MD.
The various symptoms caused by hormonal imbalances can have a dramatic impact on your day-to-day life, your personal and professional relationships, your job performance, your romantic satisfaction, and your general health. With so many possible benefits, you owe it not only to yourself but also to your loved ones to make sure that you are maintaining an optimal hormonal balance. You might be amazed by the impact it has on symptoms that you had not even noticed!
Our dedicated, experienced team of trained professionals collectively brings to our office a combined 100 years of experience in advanced wellness and anti-aging treatments. We’ve stayed with this work for so long because we are truly passionate about what we do, and we bring that passion to every client interaction. If you’re curious about what benefits bioidentical hormone therapy might have for you, contact Priority You MD in Clearwater, Florida today!
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