Anti-Aging Hormone Therapy (BIOTE)
Bioidentical Hormone Therapy with BIOTE
As we step into our late 40s, our hormone levels start to decline, and symptoms of aging increase. This occurs in both men and women. Women heavily rely on Estrogen and Progesterone, which are essential for youth, energy, menstrual cycles, libido, mood, and so on.
For men, their secret hormone is Testosterone. This hormone is responsible for libido, muscle mass, exercise tolerance, and stamina. In both men and women, hormonal imbalance reflects striking changes in their physical, emotional, and sexual health. An optimized and balanced hormone level is the key to a happy and healthy life.
One way to age gracefully is to balance our hormones using bioidentical hormones at physiological doses. BHRT helps reverse age-related decline in hormone levels, it is also referred to as Anti-Aging Hormone Therapy.
What are Bioidentical Hormones?
Bioidentical hormones are “compounds that have exactly the same chemical and molecular structure as hormones that are produced in the human body” (Julia A. Files, 2011). These hormones are derived from yam, plants, and soy extracts.
Why Bioidentical Hormone Therapy Over Conventional Hormone Therapy?
In 2002, the Women’s Health Initiative (WHI) concluded that the risks of conventional HT (Prempro) outweighed the preventive benefits.
Two prime risk factors were:
- Increase in cardiovascular consequences
- A rise of 26% in breast cancer risk
This conclusion was reached after a randomized trial was conducted over 10,000 women of ages between 50 to 79 years who were taking conjugated equine estrogens 0.625 mg with medroxyprogesterone acetate, 2.5 mg daily or placebo orally (Endocrine Society, 2019).
This, along with celebrity advocacy and media endorsement, led to a 63% decrease in the prescription of conventional Premarin (Progestin) and Provera. With more women seeking alternatives, bioidentical hormone replacement therapy seemed a safer way to compensate for the decline in hormonal levels and is supported by claims of better efficacy and a safer side effect profile.
Types and Route of Bioidentical Hormones (BHT):
BHRT is a combination of estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone.
The most common formulation prescribed by renowned Los Angeles doctor, Shiva Lalezar, is Biest cream or gel, which is 80% Estriol and 20% Estradiol. This formulation is the safest since Estriol does not convert to estrone. Estrone is a bad form of estrogen and can cause cancer. Dr. Lalezar does not recommend oral estradiol because it is converted into estrone after passing through the liver. In the liver, it stimulates certain clotting factors, predisposing coagulation, and heart attacks. On the contrary, the liver is bypassed when Estradiol is given transdermally or vaginally, thus a lower risk of thromboembolism, also supported by a Case-control study (Canonico M, 2007 Feb 20; 115(7): 840-5)
Dr. Lalezar will also prescribe progesterone either in a cream or pill form. Prometrium, which is a pharmaceutical formulary, is covered by your insurance. It comes in doses of 100 and 200 mg. Progesterone or Prometrium capsules are superior to creams for insomnia. If lower doses of progesterone are needed based on our hormone testing, you will be given either a compounded progesterone cream or a capsule of 25-100 mg.
Benefits of Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy:
Older men and postmenopausal women have lower levels of testosterone and estrogen (17-beta estradiol (E2)), respectively. Anti-aging hormone therapy serves as a bridge to minimize symptoms secondary to hormone depletion. Therefore, it helps to alleviate postmenopausal symptoms like:
- hot flashes, muscle pains, and body aches
- cardiovascular risk
- osteoporosis
- insomnia
- vaginal dryness and low libido
- mood changes
Moreover, the doses can be customized, based on the patient’s hormone testing results. Since each body has a different level of decline in hormones and a unique response to replenishment, bioidentical hormone replacement therapy can be customized and tailored to meet the exact demands of a particular patient.
How Soon Does Anti-aging Hormone Therapy Show its Effects?
It usually takes anywhere between a few weeks to three months for BHRT to take effect. But if no improvement is seen even after four to six months of therapy, a different combination of HRT may be tried.
Should Tests be Performed to Check the Therapeutic Effects of BHT?
At Health and Vitality Center in Los Angeles, we mainly use blood and urine tests to check for hormone levels. In women who are menstruating, it’s best to check hormone levels on days 19-23 of the cycle. In menopausal women, blood tests can be checked at any time of the month. It’s best to check testosterone levels in men first thing in the morning.
Possible Adverse Effects:
Although hormone replacement therapy helps with the symptoms of menopause and reduces the risk of osteoporosis, a few side effects bag along, too, if the dosage given to you is incorrect. Usually, these side effects improve or fade away with time. Common ones include:
- weight gain (37.2%)
- bloating (23%)
- breast tenderness (19.2%) (Vigesaa KA, Downhour NP, Chui MA, Cappellini L, Musil JD, McCallian DJ., 2004).
Other side effects include:
- Blurred vision
- Fatigue
- Acne
- Headaches
- Indigestion, etc
Conclusion:
It is imperative to mention that HRT alone cannot heal all the symptoms. HRT is to be backed up with balanced nutrition, a proper sleep cycle, and an exercise routine.
If you are dealing with hormone imbalance, gear up for a change by contacting The Health & Vitality Center for a step towards a happy and balanced life.
Hormone Optimization With BIOTE
The primary goal of Biote is to help balance hormones through bioidentical hormone replacement therapy using pellets. Hormone balance is crucial to leading a healthier and more fulfilling life. That’s why the mission of Biote is to help people live better and longer.
What Is the Goal of Hormone Optimization Therapy?
Bioidentical hormone replacement therapy (BHRT) may relieve many common and debilitating symptoms that medical providers often overlook. Some of these symptoms include:
- Chronic fatigue
- Stress
- Brain fog
- Weight gain
- Sleep disturbances
- Libido issues
- Mood imbalances
- And so much more…
Often, people with symptoms like these are suffering from hormonal imbalances. These ailments may be managed by getting to the root cause of these complex conditions and returning the patient to a state of hormonal balance. BHRT may be a simple method for correcting these complex issues through hormone optimization.
What Is Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Pellet Therapy?
Bioidentical hormone replacement pellet therapy is a personalized approach to hormone replacement. It allows a patient’s body to absorb the right level of hormones at the right time using a delivery method the body can process efficiently.
Pellets are small capsules (about the size of a grain of rice) that contain bioidentical hormones like testosterone or estrogen. A bioidentical hormone is the exact molecular structure of hormones the body produces naturally.
They are inserted under the skin, where hormones enter the bloodstream as they dissolve over several months. Our studies show that patients may see the effects of hormone optimization up to four weeks after a pellet insertion. Everyone is unique; some people may feel the effects immediately, while others may take up to two or more pellet insertions before they feel the full effects.
Hormones delivered by pellet therapy bypass the liver, do not affect clotting factors, and avoid the fluctuations of hormone levels some patients may experience. Biote bioidentical hormone pellets are made from soy or the yam plant to create estradiol and/or testosterone molecules, unlike synthetic hormones, which are made from animal parts or urine and have a different molecular structure than what the body produces.
What Can a Patient Expect From BHRT?
Each patient’s symptoms are unique, and so is each patient’s path to hormone optimization. Some patients report some relief as soon as four weeks, but full hormone optimization may take up to six months. Many reports feel more benefits after the second insertion. The Biote Method of hormone optimization therapy will be customized to balance each patient’s hormones and fit their specific needs based on their hormone testing results.
Why Biote for Hormone Therapy?
Thousands of certified providers across the U.S. offer bioidentical hormone replacement therapy (BHRT) and hormone optimization as subcutaneous pellets. With more than 2.5 million hormone pellet insertions performed over a decade in the company’s history, we’ve seen thousands of lives changed with the Biote Method of pellet therapy.
Learn More About Hormone Testing in Los Angeles:
Call the Health & Vitality Center at 310-477-1166 or click here to schedule an appointment. We are one of the leading centers for natural medicine in Los Angeles. Holistic doctor Shiva Lalezar not only treats Adrenal diseases, but she also employs methods that prevent them from negatively impacting your everyday life. Our practice uses an integrative approach, combining the best conventional therapies with the latest techniques and treatments in Functional Medicine for optimal results.
References
Harvard Women’s Health Watch. (2011, September). Harvard Health Publishing. Retrieved from Harvard Medical School: https://www.health.harvard.edu/womens-health/bioidentical-hormones-help-or-hype
American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. (2012). American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. Retrieved from Compounded bioidentical menopausal hormone therapy. Committee Opinion No. 532: https://www.acog.org/Clinical-Guidance-and-Publications/Committee-Opinions/Committee-on-Gynecologic-Practice/Compounded-Bioidentical-Menopausal-Hormone-Therapy?IsMobileSet=false
Bioidentical Hormone Therapy. (n.d.). Retrieved from North American Menopause Society: https://www.menopause.org/publications/clinical-practice-materials/bioidentical-hormone-therapy/what-is-hormone-testing-
Canonico M, O. E.-B. (2007 Feb 20;115(7):840-5.). Hormone therapy and venous thromboembolism among postmenopausal women: impact of the route of estrogen administration and progestogens: the ESTHER study. DOI: 10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.106.642280.
Cleveland Clinic. (2014). Retrieved from https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/15660-bioidentical-hormones
Endocrine Society. (2019, October). Compounded Bioidentical Hormone Therapy. Retrieved from Endocrine.org: https://www.endocrine.org/advocacy/position-statements//compounded-bioidentical-hormone-therapy
Julia A. Files, M. M. ( 2011, July). Bioidentical Hormone Therapy. MayoClinic Proceedings, PMCID: PMC3127562. DOI:10.4065/mcp.2010.0714 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3127562/#
Lynn Pattimakiel, M. N. (2011 December). 78(12):829-836. Cleveland Clinic Journal of Medicine. https://www.mdedge.com/ccjm/article/95466/womens-health/bioidentical-hormone-therapy-clarifying-misconceptions/page/0/2
Vigesaa KA, Downhour NP, Chui MA, Cappellini L, Musil JD, McCallian DJ. (2004). Efficacy and tolerability of compounded bioidentical hormone replacement therapy. Int J Pharm Compd. 2004 Jul-Aug;8(4):313-9. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23924704
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