Managing Hormones over 50
Our hormones are chemical messengers travelling throughout our body, so changes in our hormone levels can impact how our body functions and our mood. Hormonal fluctuations most commonly occur during our period, during pregnancy, or in my case, during menopause.
I experienced them all, and for me, a hormone imbalance was to blame.
If you´re are experiencing some of these symptoms, you may be suffering from a hormone imbalance too and it’s a good idea to get tested. But before you do, let me explain a little about what I learnt about hormones on my journey to a solution…
Hormones are not all Equal
We are often led to believe that hormones are hormones, but that simply isn’t true. There are synthetic hormones and there are bio-identical hormones. So, what are they and how are they different?
What are Synthetic Hormones?
Synthetic hormones are hormones that are created in a lab using chemicals, or in some cases animal hormones, like horse estrogen.
Synthetic hormones can be found in pills, injections, creams, birth control and patches. These hormones are not an exact match for our body chemistry, and although some women experience relief in symptoms, it is most likely because our hormone-starved bodies just think “that will do”.
When I was going through my hormone imbalance, I sought the advice of Dr. Jennifer Hawes, who explained there have been several studies that prove the negative side effects of synthetic hormones. However, doctors still prescribe them and patients still take them, but perhaps this is because neither the doctor nor the patient knows of any alternative to synthetics?
What are bio-identical Hormones?
The second, lesser-known type of hormones, are bio-identical hormones. These are derived from plant sources, then tinkered with in a lab to stimulate the active hormone and combined to create an exact match for our body. Think of them as a tailor-made hormone replacer, created specifically for you. Your customized hormone regime can be applied as a cream or taken as a sublingual drop.
After conducting my research, it seemed I had the option between horse estrogen or a tailor-made hormone treatment that was an exact human match. For me it was a no brainer. I went to get the tests and have trusted bio-identical hormones ever since.
The brain fog cleared, the sweaty sleepless nights were gone and I felt like myself again.
Are bio-identical hormones safe?
There will probably never be a study in the USA on bio-identical hormones because they are customizable and non-patentable. Non-patentable, means no money, which often unfortunately means no study. However, there have been some studies conducted in Europe on each hormone component and they are anything BUT negative.
Managing Hormones over 50 and Beyond
I hope you enjoyed this insight into my journey, and how bio-identical hormones corrected my hormone imbalance and improved my way of life.
Interested to learn more about bio-identical hormones? Dr Jen Hawes wrote a special blog for us on the topic a while back, where she delves a little deeper and shares the methodology she uses to treat the women that visit her. You can also follow Dr Jen online, for further words of wisdom.
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