 Find
a Live Well PhysicianClick Here to find a Live Well Doctor in your area. |
 Physician's
NetworkPhysicians Click Here to become part of the LiveWell MD Network |
RESOURCES
INTRODUCTIONThe information here is intended to briefly explain what all the various hormones that we utilize in HRT and what benefits you may notice from them. Many will appear to overlap in what they do or are responsible for. That is due to the fact that all of our hormones are connected, much like a symphony that produces beautiful music when all are in tune and playing together.
All of us have the same hormones, but all in varying amounts. Women have more estrogen or progesterone, and men have more testosterone. The opposite is true too, men gain estrogens and women have testosterone also. The amount present in your system is the critical factor. The
Balanceof these hormones is what Hormone Therapy is all about. Our bodies still need these hormones as we age in order to live a comfortable life enhancing how we feel physically and emotionally.
Hormone Replacement not only treats the symptoms of Menopause and Andropause safe and effectively, they are also a vital part of good health.
Your bodys hormones are essential to your heath and wellness. Hormones are the communication network in your body that controls how almost all processes of your body function. The right balance of hormones can make you feel absolutely great, or if you are in a state of hormonal imbalance it can cause you to feel older than you are and can strongly contribute to the development of many types of ill health.
Just think about it. When did you feel your absolute best? Likely the answer would be in your early twenties, when your hormonal production was at its peak. Time, environmental factors, surgeries start a decline in hormone production, and therefore you feel the effects of
growing old. There is no need to say to yourself
I am getting older, that is how I am supposed to feel!Hormone Therapy can improve your quality of life to:
THE BEST PART of Hormone Replacement is that it is all natural. No synthetic chemicals are used. Your natural hormones are restored to the appropriate level to eliminate all the symptoms you may be having, aid in the prevention of disease development, provide you a better quality of life and feel good all over again even as time marches on. Join our team of experts and feel the
Estrogen
Estrogen is not one hormone, it is the name of a group of hormones. There are three principle forms of estrogen found in the human body estrone, estradiol and estriol, also known as E1, E2 and E3 respectively. There is also a group of compounds called phytoestrogens, generally found in food, and also supringsingly found in some plastic products and cosmetics, called
Parabenswhich can have "estrogen like" effects in the body. Estradiol (E2) is the primary estrogen produced by the ovaries. Estrone (E1) is formed from estradiol. It is a weak estrogen and is the most abundant estrogen found in the body after menopause. Estriol (E3) is produced in large amounts during pregnancy and is a breakdown product of estradiol. Estriol is also a weak estrogen and may have anti-cancer effects. Before menopause estradiol is the predominant estrogen. After menopause estradiol levels drop more than estrone so that now estrone is the predominant estrogen. Estrone is now being considered the bad form of Estrogen as it has been linked to the formation and growth of cancers cells in both women and men. It is the goal of HRT to restore Estradiol and Estriol and limit the amount of Estrone.
Estrogen has approximately 400 crucial functions in your body, the more common benefits of estrogen replacement are:
1. Improves insulin sensitivity
2. Regulates body temperature
3. Helps prevent muscle damage
4. Decreases blood pressure
5. Helps maintain your memory
6. Relief of Hot Flashes/Night Sweats
7. Combats Osteoporosis
8. Restores Breast Firmness
9. Reduces Depression
10. Reduces the Risk of Cardiovascular Diseases
11. Helps prevent tooth loss
12. Maintains the amount of collagen in your skin
13. Stimulates the production of choline acetyltransferase, an enzyme, which prevents Alzheimer’s disease
14. Enhances Sexuality
15. Decreases the accumulation of plaque on your arteries
16. Decreases wrinkles
These are only a few of the major functions of estrogen, there are many more. The response to your replenishment of this important hormone will make you aware of what deficiencies of the right types of estrogen have caused you to feel out of balance.
Progesterone
Natural progesterone is made by the ovaries prior to menopause and by the adrenal glands and fat cells after menopause and is the precursor for natural estrogen. It is the single most important hormone in the female body.
When the female body fails to produce enough progesterone between ovulation and menstruation and during menopause, natural progesterone can address the underlying cause of most symptoms.
Because the female body uses natural progesterone to make natural estrogen, a properly formulated natural progesterone cream is the natural safe choice for menstruating women and for post-menopausal women seeking to establish the correct balance of their two primary female hormones.
This balance of natural progesterone and natural estrogens will protect them from the effects of the condition known as "estrogen dominance".
The resultant benefits of natural progesterone include:
1. Helps use fat for energy
2. Facilitates thyroid hormone action
3. Natural anti-depressant
4. Natural diuretic
5. Normalizes blood sugar levels
6. Restores proper cell oxygen levels
7. Restores libido
8. Normalizes menstrual cycle
9. Normalizes zinc & copper levels
10. Normalizes blood clotting
11. Protects against breast fibrocysts
12. Helps protect epithelial cells against breast cancer
13. Helps prevents endometrial cancer
14. Helps prevent ovarian cysts and ovarian cancer
15. Precursor for cortisone production (arthritis)
16. Stimulates osteoblast cells (osteoporosis reversal)
17. Promotes a better quality sleep.
As Estrogen is the prominent female hormone natural progesterone must be present in the appropriate amount to counterbalance the effects of too much estrogen. This helps prevent Estrogen Dominance.
Testosterone For Women
Yes, women have Testosterone also, and yes, women need testosterone as well. Naturally the amount required is considerably less than a male, however it is still essential for optimal health, vitality and libido.
Hailed as a "prescription for passion" by some and condemned as the "rage steroid" by others, testosterone is the most celebrated, feared and misunderstood of all hormones.
Our culture lauds this substance's leading role in male virility and casts it as the villain in acts of violent crime. In truth, testosterone is neither miracle nor monster, but rather, a key player in the complex chemistry of human hormones. When balanced by other hormones, testosterone, also known as androgen, plays a lead role in the health and well-being of both sexes. These days, many menopausal women are turning to testosterone to provide what estrogen alone cannot—renewed sexual desire. Many Physicians believe testosterone therapy is a major breakthrough for midlife women. Understanding that testosterone deficiency may be to blame for a loss of interest in sex in an otherwise happy relationship could prevent much unnecessary anguish.
Just as men's bodies manufacture small amounts of estrogen, women's bodies produce testosterone through the ovaries and adrenal glands. A multitalented hormone, testosterone boosts both libido and energy, maintains muscle mass, supports cognitive function, strengthens bone, and helps elevate mood. These are the most prominent effects. By age 40, women produce about half the testosterone we did in our twenties. These levels drop further still with the onset of menopause or for women who have had their ovaries removed. Many clinicians believe that the diminished energy, decreased sexual desire and "flatness" of mood that some women experience during and after menopause are directly related to declining levels of testosterone. Below are the reasons that we supplement testosterone along with progesterone and/or estrogens.
1. Works to increase metabolism, thereby causes weight loss.
2. Increases Libido, sex drive.
3. Maintains muscle mass.
4. Strengthens bones.
5. Elevates mood, lessens depression.
6. Supports cognitive function.
7. Helps to make smoother softer skin.
8. Improves vaginal dryness.
These are the benefits that most women feel. Of course results may vary, as everyone is different, and you may notice other benefits as well.
