What is BHRT?
Bioidentical hormone replacement therapy, or BHRT, is a treatment for hormone
imbalance that restores your deficient hormone levels.
Women with hormone imbalance suffer from symptoms such as:
- Hot flashes
- Night sweats
- Weight gain
- Brain fog
- Moodiness
- Worsened PMS
- Bloating
- Headaches
- Depression
- Fatigue
- Low libido or sex drive
- Decreased sexual pleasure.
Men with hormone imbalance experience symptoms such as:
- Low libido
- Difficulty with erection
- Fatigue
- Depression
- Low mood
- Loss of muscle mass
- Mid-section weight gain.
What Hormones Are Replaced with BHRT?
The hormones typically replaced with BHRT are estrogen, progesterone, testosterone,
and DHEA.
Why Choose BHRT and Not Synthetic Hormones?
Bioidentical hormones are derived from a plant molecule and then synthesized in a lab
to be identical to naturally produced hormones. These hormones have the exact
molecular structure and duplicate the exact same function as the hormones made by
your body. Synthetic hormones do not have the same molecular structure as the
hormones your body makes.
Is BHRT Safe?
Bioidentical hormones are safe because, like your own hormones, they fit perfectly into
the hormone receptor cells in your body where they do their work.The term that
describes how hormones fit into receptor sites (like a key fits into a lock) is called
“relative binding affinity,” or RBA. Bioidentical progesterone, for example, has an RBA
of 100%, while synthetic progesterone has an RBA of only 78%. Synthetic hormones
confuse the body’s receptor sites and create a negative and defensive immune response.
How is BHRT Prescribed?
BHRT is prescribed using compounded medications. You can typically choose from
several delivery methods or dosage options:
- capsules or tablets you take by mouth
- oils
- creams or gels that you apply to your skin
- injections or shots (in-office)
- slow-release pellets that are put under the skin (in-office)
