Are bioidentical hormones similar to synthetic hormones in relieving menopausal symptoms?
Menopause is probably the most hated time in a woman's life, but it is both a natural and relentlessly unavoidable event, and every woman will go through it at some point. Rarely, some women experience menopause but luckily experience no problems whatsoever. The more common occurrence is for women to develop some of the symptoms which are due to the inherent hormonal imbalance. About 8 out of 10 women will develop menopausal symptoms at some point.
Menopause is when our ovaries stop producing eggs. The eggs we produce stimulate our ovaries to produce estrogen, so when we stop producing eggs, there is a resultant drop in the estrogen in our bloodstream. This fall in hormone levels disrupts our menstrual cycle and produces the other symptoms associated with menopause.
There are many ways to address the myriad symptoms of menopause, which include insomnia, mood swings, memory loss, hot flashes, bone density reduction, vaginal dryness and joint pains. The safest and most effective way by far to relieve these symptoms is through the use of natural or bioidentical hormones.
In comparison with many hormone therapies, bioidentical hormones resemble exactly the hormones found in the human body. Other therapies use synthetic hormones, but unfortunately, synthetic hormones are known to cause breast and uterine cancer. Because of this bioidentical hormones are considered safer than synthetic hormones.
The greatest advantage in the use of bioidentical hormones is that bioidentical hormones perfectly duplicate the structure and function of the hormones inside our bodies. Bioidentical hormones come from plant sources and help us rebalance the hormone levels in our bodies in a natural way. The use of natural hormones that are similar in molecular structure to our own hormones ensures that the body is equipped to quickly metabolize these hormones. For this reason, there are no known negative side-effects of bioidentical progesterone use when taken as directed without overdosing.
Synthetic hormones, unlike bioidentical hormones, do not mimic your body's natural hormones and are not identical to the hormones naturally produced by your body. Instead of rebalancing the hormone levels they tend to concentrate mainly on turning off the symptoms associated with menopause and andropause (male menopause). By simply addressing the symptoms and not the root of the problem itself, they sometimes produce unpredictable and undesirable side effects such as heart disease and cancer.
Recent studies have shown that synthetic hormones, specifically synthetic estrogen in combination with synthetic progesterone, significantly increase the risk of breast cancer, heart attacks, and strokes. Synthetics tend to provide a one-size-fits-all approach to addressing menopausal problems and are often prescribed in combination with sleeping pills and antidepressants, which can slow metabolism and cause weight gain.
Patients interested in bioidentical hormones are encouraged to speak with a medical professional regarding its benefits over those of traditional hormone replacement therapy techniques. Many clinics offer their patients a consultation in which they will discuss the treatment and will customize a treatment plan for each. Be honest about exactly what you're feeling with your doctor.
If you find you can't talk to him or her, get another doctor. Only through honest feedback can your hormonal imbalance be properly treated and your symptoms of menopause finally relieved.
The symptoms caused by hormone imbalance are distressing. If you have the same condition and wish to experience the benefits brought about by bioidentical hormones, you might first want to check the link below that describes in detail the symptoms of low progesterone and hormonal imbalance. They may verify for you whether or not you need this particular treatment.
Click here to read about the symptoms of PMS