Female Replacement Hormones
In both men and women, the production of hormones begins to slow down after age 30 by approximately 1-3% each year. However, in women there is a pronounced acceleration of the reduction in hormone levels normally starting in their 40s. This change is called perimenopause and is the precursor to menopause (when menstruation, your period, stops entirely for 12 months).
The most common symptoms of perimenopause include:
- Changes in your period, where the time between periods or flow may change.
- Hot flashes – uncomfortably warm in the face, neck and chest with and without sweating.
- Sleep problems – insomnia or inability to achieve REM sleep.
- Increased feelings of stress or mood swings.
- Vaginal dryness or painful sexual intercourse.
- Thinning of bones (osteoporosis).
For many women, these symptoms can be debilitating; for others, a nuisance. However you feel, it is important to be aware that safe, effective female replacement hormones are available to not only alleviate these troublesome issues but also protect you from a variety of age-related illnesses and disease.
Bioidentical replacement hormones are available for both men and women. Unlike synthetic female replacement hormones which have been found to increase the risk of certain cancers, the medical evidence for bioidentical hormones shows they can have a positive impact on overall health and well-being. Since bioidentical replacement hormones are derived from naturally occurring sources, the body processes them the same as those made by the body itself and does not identify them as foreign.
Any woman interested in female replacement hormones should discuss her options with her primary care physician or gynecologist. It is common practice for most doctors to prescribe synthetic female replacement hormones and as a result they will prescribe the minimum dosage necessary for relief and advise the patient to stop taking it as soon as possible. However, for maximum health benefits long term, a doctor trained and certified in age management medicine has the knowledge and experience to help with more than alleviating your symptoms. To learn more, click here.
At Savannah Age Management Medicine, our medical staff stays informed in the most up to date medical evidence regarding the safety and effectiveness of bioidentical female replacement hormones. Recognizing that life-long benefits to overall health can be achieved through optimizing your hormone levels, our staff monitors over 11 different hormones regularly, as well as providing education on healthy lifestyle choices. Rather than simply surviving perimenopause and menopause comfortably, we partner with our patients to thrive during their 40s, 50s, 60s and beyond. To find out if hormone optimization therapy is right for you, please contact us.
