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Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy for Women

Millions of women today are suffering from hormonal imbalance and experiencing the signs of menopause and perimenopause. The frequency and severity of symptoms can vary greatly among individual women. The most common symptoms are weight gain, hot flashes, night sweats, difficulty sleeping, mood swings, vaginal dryness and loss of libido. Often times, bioidentical hormone therapy is part of the solution.

Some women sail through this natural cycle of life experiencing little or no symptoms. However, many women experience a great deal of emotional, physical and psychological suffering- all of which can be successfully treated using bioidentical hormone replacement therapy.

As anti-aging experts, the doctors at Austin Wellness Clinic use only bioidentical hormones when treating hormonal imbalance. Bioidentical hormones are identical to the hormones produced naturally in the human body, as opposed to synthetic hormones that are produced from animals, and are foreign to our natural chemistry. Austin Wellness Clinic provides a natural solution for women suffering from the signs of perimenopause and symptoms of menopause through bioidentical hormone replacement therapy, making it possible to live life to its fullest.

Advanced Testing

Our anti-aging doctors will use state-of-the-art saliva and/or blood testing to assess your unique hormonal needs and determine the best course of treatment. Your hormone levels will be monitored closely to ensure that optimal balance is maintained. The hormones we test are:

• Estrogen – responsible for the growth and development of female sexual characteristics and reproduction
• Progesterone – helps prepare uterus for conception and pregnancy; regulates monthly cycle; plays a role in sexual desire
• Testosterone – affects the brain, bone, muscle mass, fat distribution, vascular system, energy levels, genital tissues and sexual function
• Thyroid Hormones – controls metabolism
• DHEA – “master” hormone produced mainly by adrenal glands
• Cortisol – stress hormone
• Melatonin – helps regulate sleep/wake cycle
• Vitamin D – maintains normal blood levels of calcium and phosphorus

How a Woman’s Body Works

From puberty to menopause, a woman's body is designed to have estrogen and progesterone work together to fuel and regulate her monthly cycle. In women, the estrogens, progesterone and testosterone hormones are produced in the ovaries.

During the first half of a woman’s monthly cycle, the majority of estrogen is released into the bloodstream, which prepares the lining of a woman's uterus for implantation of a fertilized egg.

During the second half of a woman’s monthly cycle, the majority of progesterone is released into the bloodstream, which maintains the rich lining of the uterus. If a woman becomes pregnant, her body must continually produce a large amount of progesterone in order to maintain a thick and healthy uterine lining throughout the pregnancy.

If there is insufficient progesterone, miscarriage could result. If there is no egg implantation in the uterus, the production of estrogen and progesterone drops sharply, resulting in eliminating the thickened uterine lining known as a woman's menstrual period.

This cycle repeats itself about once every month until a woman experiences menopause.

What Causes Menopause?

Menopause is a natural biological process in which a woman’s ovaries stop producing eggs due to declining hormone levels. This period signals the end of fertility.

Menopause is medically defined as the time in which a woman has had no menstrual periods for 12 consecutive months. The average age of menopause is 51, plus or minus several years, although the process can begin several years earlier, which is called perimenopause.

Perimenopause is defined as the period before and one year after menstrual periods cease, during which ovarian hormone patterns change. Hormone levels start to fluctuate unevenly and this is often the beginning of menopausal signs and symptoms. The average age at which irregular cycles develop is approximately 47, but can be as early as 35 years old. The symptoms of menopause and perimenopause can be magnified by poor nutrition, stress, lack of exercise and environmental toxins, as well as smoking and alcohol consumption.

Treating Menopausal / Perimenopausal Hormonal Imbalance

At Austin Wellness Clinic, our specialists, Dr. John Haest, M.D., Medical Director, and Dr. Vincent Bellonzi, D.C., C.C.N., can help you understand your symptoms and offer relief, guiding you through this natural biological process so you can look and feel younger, experience vibrant health and enjoy life to the fullest.

We offer a wide range of services to help you regain your health and zest for life, including weight loss therapy, nutritional counseling and chelation therapy. In many cases, bioidentical hormone replacement therapy (BHRT) can be part of the treatment program.

There has been much confusion regarding the use and safety of bioidentical hormones for managing the symptoms of menopause. Recently, Oprah addressed this topic on her show. "After one day on bioidentical estrogen, I felt the veil lift," Winfrey writes. "After three days, the sky was bluer, my brain was no longer fuzzy, my memory was sharper." While Oprah isn't recommending bioidentical hormones for every woman experiencing menopausal symptoms, she is urging women to take charge of their health and says it's time to "start the conversation" about menopause and bioidentical hormones.

Call Austin Wellness Clinic today at 512-473-8900 to start the conversation.

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