Bioidentical Hormones
Hormones are varied and vital substances that affect nearly every aspect of your health, influence many functions throughout your body, and also affect your brain’s health, mood, and mental stability. Hormone production tends to decline as you grow older, and menopause also comes with a sudden sharp decline in certain hormone levels. It is important to keep your hormone levels balanced as well as possible, and hormone treatments allow you to influence your hormone levels.
When your hormones are imbalanced, you may suffer from a number of unpleasant symptoms. Some of the symptoms of poor hormonal balance include ight sweats, hot flashes, and memory loss. When left untreated, hormonal imbalance may increase the chances of developing many life-threatening conditions.
Estrogen
Estrogen is the female sexual hormone. Estrogen has a heavy influence on sexual characteristics of women, including vaginal health and sex drive, but is also required for several other important functions throughout the body. Bone strength is one of estrogen’s most important non-sexual responsibilities.
Estrogen levels are often closely linked to other hormones, and when estrogen levels are too high or too low, it will usually mean that another hormone may also be problematic. Testosterone and progesterone are usually most heavily influenced by estrogen levels.
Estriol
While estrogen is one of the most widely known hormones, there is less attention given to the face that it comes in three different forms: estrone, estradiol, and estriol. Of the three forms of estrogen, estriol is the weakest, but that is actually a good thing. Estrogen is necessary, but it can be so potent at times that supplementing it may potentially be dangerous. Estriol is a much safer alternative to estrogen replacement that offers all the same benefits while greatly reducing the risks.
Progesterone
Progesterone is a balancer for estrogen. Progesterone levels will directly influence estrogen levels, so producing too much will result in reduced estrogen levels. Progesterone is known as the pregnancy hormone, as it helps prepare the body for pregnancy, helps in becoming pregnant, and is needed to maintain a healthy pregnancy. Even if you are not pregnant, or never intend to become pregnant, progesterone still has the important purpose of keeping estrogen levels from becoming too high.
Because progesterone is mainly produced in the ovaries, your progesterone levels will typically go up during and after menopause, when your body begins to produce significantly less estrogen.
Testosterone
Testosterone is mostly known as the male sex hormone, but it is also an important hormone for women. Women produce much less testosterone than men, because it is mostly produced in sex organs, and ovaries produce far less of it than men’s testes. The adrenal gland also produces testosterone, and any complication that negatively influences the ovaries or adrenal gland may lower your testosterone production.
Cortisol
Cortisol is the stress hormone because it is produced in the adrenal glands mostly in response to stress. However, cortisol also has numerous other important functions in the body. Cortisol is needed for your immune system to function properly, and it is also needed to regulate blood pressure and blood glucose levels. The digestive system also benefits from adequate levels of cortisol.
Cortisol levels are most heavily influenced by stress and the condition of your adrenal glands. When you suffer from frequent or chronic stress, your cortisol levels are highly likely to be elevated. This may also lead to adrenal fatigue, resulting in a sharp decline in cortisol as your adrenal glands lose the ability to keep up with your body’s demands for higher cortisol.
DHEA
Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) acts as a balancer for the hormones in your body. It is a steroid that is used to create the other hormones in your body, so having DHEA is what lets your body produce more hormones, making it required for a naturally healthy hormone balance. If your DHEA levels drop too low, then this could cause a negative effect throughout the rest of your body.
Human Growth Hormone
Human growth hormone is typically associated with building muscle and bulking up, but it is especially important for maintaining lean muscle and preventing your body from breaking down muscle for energy. Having adequate levels of human growth hormone will help prevent muscle deterioration while simultaeneously pushing your body to burn fat for energy instead. Human growth hormone is especially important for maintaing a healthy weight, or reaching one.
Women’s Thyroid
The thyroid gland is located at the lower part of your neck, and is needed to produce most of the hormones in your body. The thyroid gland removes iodine from your blood in order to create the hormones it produces, and these hormones go on to affect every cell in your body. These hormones are mostly responsible for energy levels, muscle maintenance and metabolism.