What is Hormone Replacement Therapy?
Click here to learn more about our Bio-identical HRT program
Hormone Replacement Therapy, HRT, is not a new concept.
In fact, doctors have been tinkering with the notion that so much of what ails us as we get older can be attribute to hormones.
Hormones levels in our bodies decline as we age. Thyroid, estrogen and progesterone have been prescribed for many years to regulate hormonal imbalances, mainly to women entering menopause or those experiencing "abnormal" hormone levels at a younger age.
We now know that a number of conditions previously considered part of the aging process are the result of drops in hormone levels - osteoporosis, muscle atrophy, sleep disorders and a number of mood disorders such as social anxiety - as well as even more extreme diseases such as diabetes and heart disease.
By replenishing hormones in the body and bringing out systems into balance we can reverse and prevent a number of age-related illness. Patients report feeling better, younger and more energetic. Their skin tightens and the ability to build and retain muscle mass returns.
However, traditional HRT involves synthetic hormones and is most often prescribed once a patient's hormone levels have dropped dangerously low. There have also been several reported negative side effects of traditional HRT.
This is where bio-identical hormone movement and BHRT - bio-identical hormone replacement therapy - step in.
BHRT: The therapy decision to change your your body and your mind
What is a bio-identical hormone and hormone therapy? Pure biologically identical hormones, those identical to the molecule of a human hormone, are extracted from plants or synthetically manufactured. They work in the body just as the hormones our bodies produce (or used to produce) do.
So why, if they work so well, are they not preferred over traditional, synthetic hormones still prescribed by many doctors. The answer is simple. The pharmaceutical industry cannot patent bio-identical hormones because they share a molecular structure with a natural hormone. It has not been cost-effective from a business standpoint to promote the use of these bio-identicals until now.
Enter the compounding pharmacy. A compounding pharmacy acts much like the first pharmacists did - customizing each prescription to the individual patient. A doctor sends the compounding pharmacy instructions specific to your test results and your compounding pharmacists develop the pill or capsule or cream for you based on those instructions.
BH2 Therapy: How Austin-area BH2 is the right approach to BHRT
Austin Area BH2 offers a balanced Bio-identical Hormone Therapy Program. It is a fully integrative, comprehensive, individualized and hands-on approach to your health. The program includes three consultations and email correspondence with our staff throughout.
You will receive a comprehensive medical exam by a doctor in our Austin offices, resulting in a full health assessment. Your test results will allow us to customized compounded bio-identical hormones according to your labs results.
Your customized supplements will be your core supplements, which supply the critical nutrients needed for hormone metabolism, energy production and restorative sleep. They also help to support the body's natural detoxification mechanism and overall health and wellbeing.
You will also receive a detox shake to address the toxicity burden that may be a contributing factor in your hormonal imbalance. This is a medical grade food based on rice proteins, containing natural anti-inflammatory properties. It will help to repair and heal the intestinal lining and provide the critical amino acids and nutrients needed for detoxification. Click here for more information on detox.