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So you’ve decided to take hormone therapy (HRT) as the beginning of “reversing” your biological clock and restoring the youthful health you once had.
However, the process is yet to start even after you choose to take hormone therapy and not anything else. There are tons of hormone products out there that promise you the same results. But, eventually, you’ve got confused about which product is right for you.
But you don’t have to worry about it. Not anymore!
Find out whether you’re good to embark on the journey of getting back your wellness and get all the tips for choosing hormone therapy.
Reverse Your Clock – Learn How to Choose Hormone Therapy
How to Know if You’re a Candidate for HRT
You Have Symptoms of Menopause
Hot flashes, night sweats, and all other vasomotor symptoms of menopause are like a real “pain in the neck” for many women.
They irritate you day after day and deprive you of the youthful, vibrant energy that once belonged to you. Although some women may accept these nuisances as a part of their menopausal life, things can be different if you implement the proper treatment.
Hormone therapy restores optimal hormone levels, resolves hormone deficiency, the root cause of all menopause symptoms, and allows you to feel like yourself again.
You Need to Prevent Bone Loss
As you age, your bones weaken. Our inherent ability to make new bones becomes less efficient with age, resulting in brittle, less flexible, and less dense bones.
Surprisingly, hormones are among the most influential factors in bone metabolism. For example, estrogen promotes bone growth via its effects on the osteoblasts, the cells that generate new bones. Likewise, testosterone plays a role in maintaining bone mass.
Although doctors may usually prescribe other bone-building medications to prevent or treat bone loss, hormone therapy may help if you can’t tolerate other treatments.
You Experience Early Menopause
Did you know that the earlier you approach menopause, the more likely you will experience the detrimental effects of low estrogen?
You may be exposed to low estrogen than women who go through normal menopause if you stop having your menstrual period before age 45. This condition is called “premature or early menopause” and is associated with various health problems, such as:
- Osteoporosis
- Heart disease
- Stroke
- Dementia
Hormone therapy can help decrease your risk of certain health conditions due to early menopause. But, more importantly, it enables you to embrace menopause as you should and allows you to live through this period worry-free.
You Have Hormone Deficiency
Primary ovarian insufficiency is the loss of ovarian functions before age 40, leading to hormone deficiency.
The complications are similar to those who have their ovaries surgically removed, as these organs are where female hormones are produced.
Primary ovarian insufficiency is detrimental. It’s the cause of all menopausal symptoms and other problems. Therefore, implement hormone therapy as you notice your last menstrual period or after undergoing an ovary removal surgery.
What Are the Common Types of HRT?
Oral Pills
| Pros | Cons |
| Well-studied in various clinical studies
Reduce or resolve menopausal symptoms Lower the risk of low estrogen complications, such as bone loss or osteoporosis |
Slightly increase the risk of strokes, blood clots, breast cancer, and heart attack.
Cause several side effects, such as swollen breasts, vaginal discharge, headache, and nausea Cause liver damage |
Skin Patches
| Pros | Cons |
| Offer the same benefits as oral pills
“Set it and forget it” – convenient implementation Bypass the liver – avoid liver damage Does not pose risks of blood clots |
Pose most similar risks to oral pills, yet perhaps with milder effects
Irritate the skin where it’s applied Cannot be exposed to heat due to quick dose release |
Topical Creams, Gels, and Sprays
| Pros | Cons |
| Offer the same benefits as oral pills and skin patches
Safe for the liver
|
Haven’t been well-studied in clinical trials
May pose most similar risks to oral medications and skin patches Washed off by water or rubbed away when touching |
Subcutaneous Pellets
| Pros | Cons |
| Offer the same benefits as oral pills, skin patches, and topical hormones
Deliver a consistent dose of hormones Better long-term adherence Avoid fluctuations in hormone levels Long-lasting effects, with an average duration ranging up to 6 months Contain plant-based hormones that are identical to the hormones produced by the human body Easier to be metabolized and offer the beneficial effects |
Cause pain during the implantation process
Require a short recovery period, which limits strenuous physical activity and prolonged water exposure Cause several mild side effects, such as swelling, bruising, or redness at the incision site
|
Which Type of HRT Is Right for You?
Before you decide which type of hormone therapy is right for you, consider the benefits and the side effects and ensure that the pros outweigh the cons. Each mode of treatment has its good and bad sides, so being well-versed is very important.
So how to choose hormone therapy?
| Condition | Treatment Type | Treatment Duration |
| Vasomotor symptoms | Subcutaneous pellets for longer adherence, consistent doses, and fewer gastrointestinal side effects | 5 years; not beyond age 60 |
| Bone loss or osteoporosis | Subcutaneous pellets or oral pills | 3 years; within 10 years of menopause |
| Early menopause | 5 to 10 years | |
| Primary ovarian insufficiency | ||
Women over 60 with comorbidities when taking HRT may have a higher risk of:
Women from 50 to 59 or within ten years of menopause have a lower risk of side effects due to HRT. In contrast, the threat against those aged above 60 is higher. Therefore, HRT for women in this age group requires careful consideration. |
||
Always start the therapy with the lowest dose possible. Hormone therapy aims to use low-dose hormones while not compromising its benefits, whether you want to stop the menopausal symptoms or prevent the problems due to early menopause.
You can adjust the dose throughout the course, whether it needs to be increased or decreased. Typically, it may take several weeks or even months to reach the final, optimal hormone dose. But, of course, you don’t have to worry much about dosing if you’re accompanied by a credible health center specializing in hormone therapy.
Finally, remember that hormone therapy is a process of trial and error. Even if you’ve done your bloodwork and measured your hormone levels carefully, it’s still challenging to determine a specific formulation that works perfectly for you right from the start.
Therefore, hormone therapy should be a long-term procedure that accompanies you for a while. Being patient matters, and you’ll find the best regimen for you.
Yunique Medical provides FUNCTIONAL MEDICINE for optimized health and performance. We offer customized, scientifically advanced treatments to create a new state of human thriving. Why be ordinary when you can be optimal?
HUMAN 2.0 begins here!
Contact us to schedule your FREE consultation at one of our three locations in Florida – Ocala, Fruitland Park (The Villages), and Daytona.
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