Hormones & Aging: Hormone Replacement Therapy…For Women & Men!
By Jerry Gillick, RPh, College Pharmacy, Colorado Springs LIVING WELL Magazine
Hormone deficiencies currently affect over 55 million women and men in the U.S. With the average American age on the rise, more research is being done on the effects of aging, hormone decline, and hormone replacement therapy (HRT). Commonly referred to as menopause (women) and andropause (men), the decline in hormone production that results in a hormone deficiency often causes unpleasant side-effects. HRT can address these symptoms and restore hormone balance.
Hormone Deficiency Symptoms (Women & Men): fatigue, low libido, slow cognitive function, insomnia, depression, weight gain, muscle loss, migraines, and osteoporosis.
Women May Also Experience: hot flashes, night sweats, feminine discomfort, and decreased interest in intimate relations.
Conventional HRT consists of using standard doses of commercially available synthetic hormones without considering each person’s individual hormonal profile. Research, such as the Women’s Health Initiative study, has linked synthetic hormones to an increased risk of heart disease and breast cancer. In addition to this research, many doctors and patients have abandoned this “one-size-fits-all” approach for HRT based on individualized hormone profiles.
An individualized approach to HRT, using bio-identical hormones (BHRT), pinpoints a person’s exact hormone levels through blood or saliva tests, and what hormones are needed to balance their hormone deficiency. Studies show that BHRT in physiological doses (equivalent to what your body used to make) produce significantly fewer negative side effects than synthetic hormones.
The differences between synthetic and bio-identical hormones are in their chemical structures and functionality. Synthetic hormones are often produced from animals and do not function in the body as human hormones do. Bio-identical hormones (derived from plants such as soy or yam) are both chemically and functionally identical to those produced by human reproductive organs and adrenal glands.
Contact College Pharmacy for a FREE hormone and nutritional supplement consultation and assessment, healthcare practitioner referral, or for more information about BHRT.
Visit College Pharmacy at collegepharmacy.com to access our Women’s and Men’s Health sections for hormone self-assessments and additional information about BHRT. You can also call 719-262-0022 to speak to a pharmacist and request additional information.
