Bioidentical Hormone Therapy (BHRT), For Men and Women

Hormones are chemical messengers that manage many bodily functions. Production increases during puberty reaches a peak in our 20s and early 30s and, like it or not, then begins to decline from our mid-30s to early 40s. The drop in hormone levels is natural and sadly, unavoidable in many ways. BHRT can help control how rapidly or smoothly this decline happens, allowing us to adapt better and reduce the many uncomfortable physical effects of menopause (in women) or andropause (in men).

It really is a fine balance.  Balanced hormones help you maintain good health, but shifting or unbalanced hormones can lead to weight gain (around the abdomen), mood swings, trouble sleeping, irritability or anxiety, reduced concentration or trouble remembering, exhaustion or even chronic fatigue, thinning hair, lowered sex drive, menopause and irregular periods, vaginal dryness, symptoms of perimenopause (hot flashes or night sweats) or dryer skin.

Traditional vs. bioidentical

Bioidentical hormones are very different from those used in traditional hormone replacement therapy (HRT) in that they’re identical chemically to those our bodies produce naturally and are made from plant estrogens. The hormones used in traditional HRT are made from the urine of pregnant mares and other synthetic hormones.

This makes BHRT safer because they are identical in the makeup to the hormones our bodies produce naturally.

Benefits of BHRT

Fundamentally, bioidentical hormone therapy is safer and every bit as effective as conventional synthetic hormone replacement therapy. The benefits of this advanced approach include:

• Increased focus and concentration
• Improved outlook and mood
• Improved blood sugar balance
• Improved prostate health
• Improved cholesterol levels
• Improved sexual performance
• Improved muscle mass
• Better quality of sleep
• Reduced night sweats
• Reduced hot flashes
• Greater libido
• More energy and strength
• Improved well-being

In addition to helping with symptoms, hormone replacement therapy may also reduce your risk for diabetes, tooth loss, and cataracts. There’s some evidence that it can help improve skin thickness, hydration, and elasticity, and even reduce wrinkles.

Bioidentical hormone replacement therapy (BHRT), as well as the entire field of functional and regenerative medicine, focuses on treating the cause of symptoms and the patient as a whole, not just the individual symptoms. With bioidentical hormones, your tailored dose is made specifically for your needs in our compounding lab. Working with many bioidentical hormone specialists in Edmonton and the surrounding area, our compounding facility is able to customize the individual hormones and change the dosage amounts as you need them. This method provides greater flexibility for adjustments and is better tolerated than the one-size-fits-all synthetic hormones available at traditional pharmacies.

If you would like to learn more about BHRT or for a list of practitioners that specialize in bio-identical hormone replacement contact one of our locations or visit our "links" at the bottom of our home page.