Is Hormone Replacement Therapy Just for Menopausal Women?
By Kelly Thelen | Published on September 7, 2010 | 0 Comments
For years, hormone replacement therapy has been the standard of care for women nearing the end of their childbearing years. But is hormone replacement just for menopausal women? Absolutely not, says Kelly Thelen, MSN, of Lincoln, NE hormone replacement and weight loss clinic Healthy Essentials. Just as hormones have dramatic effects on men and women, both can also benefit from hormone replacement therapy. In her role at Healthy Essentials, Thelen specializes in treating hormone imbalances with bio-identical hormones, particularly for weight loss. Here, she explains how hormones affect your weight and your health in general, and what can be done to restore a healthy hormone balance.
Hormones and Your Health
According to Thelen, a hormone imbalance can have more far-reaching effects than many people assume. While most of us understand that women often experience unpleasant symptoms of hormone imbalances as they approach menopause, we fail to recognize symptoms in ourselves that may also be related to problems with hormones.
Hormone imbalances, Thelen says, can be caused by a number of factors. In younger women, polycystic ovary syndrome is sometimes to blame. Obesity can also wreak havoc on hormones in both men and women. Diet is also an important factor, Thelen says. “There are a lot of artificial hormones in our food,” she explains. “They can upset the natural balance of hormones.”
Excessive fatigue, mood swings, headaches, unexplained weight gain, trouble sleeping and low libido, for example, are common symptoms of hormone imbalances. But many people assume that these problems, and more, are the natural effects of aging, obesity or stress, and never seek treatment. “Many people struggle for years with symptoms of a hormone imbalance,” Thelen says, “and never realize that they’re dealing with a very correctable problem.”
What Can Be Done About a Hormone Imbalance?
In order to address a hormone imbalance, Thelen says, thorough testing must be done to find out exactly where the deficiency (or overabundance) lies. “Before we start any treatment program with a patient,” she explains, “we go over the patient’s medical history, give him or her a complete physical, and conduct tests to identify imbalances and deficiencies.”
Fortunately, Thelen says, most hormone imbalances can be corrected. Where hormones are lacking, they can be replaced. If a particular hormone is too abundant, a plan can be put into place to restore balance. “We’re able to treat deficiencies in estrogen, progesterone, DHEA, testosterone, melatonin, pregnenolone, HGT, and thyroid deficiencies,” she says. In addition to hormone supplementation, she says, Healthy Essentials also provides nutritional counseling, emphasizing the important role of whole, organic foods in maintaining a healthy hormone balance as well as a healthy weight.
What Are the Benefits of Bio-identical Hormone Replacement?
Bio-identical hormones are an alternative to synthetic hormones which, Thelen says, are radically different from natural hormones. For a hormone to be considered bio-identical, she says, it must be an exact match for the hormone your body would naturally produce. This bio-compatibility makes the hormones safer and more effective than synthetic versions of the same hormones. Furthermore, Healthy Essentials, she says, uses only organic compounded medications and pharmaceutical-grade supplements.
“At Healthy Essentials, our programs are designed to show patients how to live healthier lives. In many cases, we simply find that we need to restore balance to the patient’s system before we can address weight loss,” Thelen says. “So many patients find that, with hormone replacement therapy, they finally feel like themselves again.”
*Disclaimer: The information on this website is not intended to substitute for the medical expertise and advice of your healthcare provider. We encourage you to discuss any decisions about treatment or care with an appropriate healthcare provider.