Biomimetic Hormones | Natural Hormone Replacement Therapy

One of the hormones that diminish as we age, like estrogen, progesterone, testosterone and thyroid, is DHEA.  DHEA (dehydroepiandrosterone) is made in the adrenal glands and converts to testosterone if you are male or estriol, one of the estrogens, if you are female.  Depending on what country you are in, DHEA is either purchased over the counter or by prescription only in other countries.  Some countries classify it as a nutritional supplement.  As you age, the levels of DHEA decline.

DHEA levels can also decrease in persons with kidney disease, type 2 diabetes, anorexia, adrenal burnout,  and AIDS.  DHEA can also be affected by taking corticosteroids, insulin, danazol and opiates.

Health Benefits of DHEA

The correct dosage of DHEA will increase testosterone, decrease body fat, increase muscle mass, decrease feelings of depression, improve memory loss and assist the immune system by cortisol and adrenaline levels.  It also protects against arteriolosclerosis because it lowers cholesterol and insulin levels if you are following a healthy diet.  Known as a antidote to high cortisol levels which will, along with insulin levels soar upwards at night, it can assist with achieving a better night of sleep.

DHEA should be used under the guidance of your bioidentical hormone doctor and should be used in conjunction with other bioidentical hormones. Since DHEA is a precursor to other hormones (testosterone and estriol), taking too much DHEA can lead to overly high levels of estrogens or testosterone in the body which can increase the risk of certain types of cancers such as breast, ovarian and prostrate cancers.  Hormones should be balanced in the body and when one hormone is depleted or in excess, all hormones are out of balance and your health can be effected severely.  The goal is to achieve balanced hormones in menopause.

Speak with your doctor and if you are concerned about your hormone levels and are suffering from the symptoms of menopause or andropause, have a hormone panel done by your doctor.  Blood or saliva testing will show the levels of each of the hormones in your body.  Your doctor will then determine which hormones you need to replace with natural bioidentical hormone replacement therapy.

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Not many women know that there exists a close relationship between menopause and diet. Eating right can help you build resilience against many of the symptoms of menopause. For example, intake of foods such as nuts, olive oil, wheat germ and eggs.  They are known to help the body gain calcium, magnesium, phosphorous and Vitamin A, which helps in preventing the problem of osteoporosis, so commonly found in middle aged women. Then, there is the example of foods such as dairy products, fish and vegetables that come in bright colors such as orange, green and red, all of which make for excellent menopause diet.

Following a menopause diet is also important for one more reason. This is the time when many women are known to put on a lot of weight. This happens due to the hormonal changes that are taking place inside the body of a woman. In order to control this menopause weight gain, you need to cut down on foods that contain saturated fats and trans fats such as animal fats, cheese and butter. Instead, you should replace them with low fat dairy food, meat and healthy snacks.

Eating right is the best way to compliment bio-identical hormones, if you are undergoing natural bioidentical hormone replacement therapy (NBHRT).  Many women during menopause undergo this therapy involving the gradual introduction of bioidentical hormones into their bodies, only to find that they are not getting the results they want. The results can be only good if the proper menopause diet is followed. For example, even a small change in your dietary habit such as introducing bananas and drinking more water can make a vast change in the effectiveness of bio-identical hormones. Also, be sure to cut down on alcohol, cigarettes and definitely coffee.

Soya is another food item that is known to help women obtaining relief from menopause symptoms.  Beetroot and carrot juice are also known to be very effective when included on a menopause diet. Snack on nuts such as almonds which also help build calcium in your body.  Such food items act as the perfect companions to bioidentical hormones.  It is only when you eat right that the bio-identical hormones are more effective.

The natural way to transform this difficult period of your life into a pleasant one is therefore by having the right combination of menopause diet and bioidentical hormones. The botanical ingredients contained in bio-identical hormones, coupled with the dietary and lifestyle changes that you make will help in reducing the severity of many of the typical symptoms of menopause.

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