5 Reasons to Consider Hormone Therapy

From the growth spurts that occur during adolescence to how much energy you get from food, hormones are a key part of a variety of bodily functions. In fact, hormones are such powerful chemicals that if you have too much or too little of one, the imbalance can directly affect your health. 

Millions of people deal with the effects of hormonal imbalance, often without realizing it. A survey of 2,000 women in the United States showed that while 47% of them experienced symptoms of a hormonal imbalance, nearly 75% of them didn’t understand the cause of the symptoms until later. 

Hormonal imbalance can happen for many reasons and can lead to a number of different complications that affect you more as you age. One effective method of treating this imbalance is through hormone therapy, also referred to as hormone replacement therapy, or HRT, which can help with a number of problems. 

Patients in the Allen, Texas, area looking for relief from symptoms of hormone imbalance can get help from the experienced, compassionate team at Celebrity Medi Spa. For over 15 years, we’ve offered high quality, innovative treatments to help you look and feel better. Here’s a closer look at how hormones work, what leads to hormonal imbalances, and some ways this therapy can help.

How hormones work

Hormones are chemical messengers that move through your body thanks to the work of three different systems: your endocrine system, your nervous system, and your brain. 

The endocrine system consists of several glands (pituitary, thyroid, parathyroid, thymus, and adrenal) that secrete hormones, along with your reproductive organs and your pancreas, which contain endocrine tissue. 

Your endocrine system works with your nervous system (together they are referred to as the neuro endocrine system) to transmit hormones throughout your body, guided by the hypothalamus, a part of your forebrain located just above your pituitary gland. 

This network of systems allows hormones to travel through your body to regulate your growth, metabolism, sexual function, and mood. Hormones are vital to your maturity into adulthood and continue to affect how your body works as you get older.

Causes of hormonal imbalance

Age is a major factor in hormonal imbalance because your body slows down hormone production as you get older. This is especially true of women, who encounter hormonal decreases while going through menopause (a process that ends the reproductive cycle and reduces the amount of hormones present in the body). 

But several other factors can also contribute to problems with hormonal imbalance in both sexes, including eating disorders, stress, injuries, tumors, medications, and even chemotherapy. 

If your hormones are out of whack, you can expect symptoms such as weight gain, fatigue, muscle weakness, joint stiffness, increased thirst and hunger, decreased sex drive, irritability, hair thinning, and dry skin.

Five ways hormone therapy can help

Here are five ways hormone therapy can help:

1. Reduces the symptoms of menopause

This therapy can relieve the symptoms of menopause, such as hot flashes, sleep problems, mood swings, and low libido, using low doses of estrogen.

2. Helps prevent bone loss

As your body slows down hormone production, it can also cause you to lose bone mass. This is called osteoporosis, and HRT can help increase and stabilize bone density.

3. Increases your sex drive

Because hormones are tied to your sex drive, a reduction in them can cause you to lose interest in sex. This treatment can help restore arousal and sexual responsiveness.

4. Reduces the risk of heart failure

Using HRT can also reduce the risks of cardiovascular conditions, such as heart attacks and heart failure in menopausal women.

5. Improves muscle function

Studies show that hormone therapy can help single muscle fibers generate more force without changing size, which can enhance muscle mass and function even as you age.

It’s important to note that you should avoid this treatment if you have a history of uncontrolled hypertension, thrombosis, high levels of triglycerides, stroke, heart disease, gallbladder disease, or breast cancer. Otherwise, it’s generally safe at the lowest possible dosage for the shortest possible time.

So if you’re dealing with the symptoms of hormone imbalance and you need relief, make an appointment with Celebrity Medi Spa today to get relief.