WHAT IS HORMONE TESTING?
Hormones are natural chemicals your body creates to carry signals through your bloodstream to your organs, skin, muscles, and other tissues. These messages tell your body what to do and how to do it and are essential to your health. To help doctors understand what is best for their patients, many use hormone testing to try to identify hormone imbalances or determine if ongoing hormone therapy is having an effect.
Hormone levels can be tested through blood, urine, or saliva samples. However, since hormone levels in the human body vary by day and even by hour, the best indicator of whether a compounded hormone is working well is the relief of symptoms, not measured hormone levels in urine, saliva, or blood.
WHAT ARE BIO-IDENTICAL HORMONES?
Bio-identical hormones are processed hormones made by the body’s glands to help remedy deficiencies or imbalances in men and women. The human body produces hormones that regulate almost all systems and functions within. These include estrogen, estradiol, progesterone, and testosterone, among many others.
Bio-identical hormone replacement therapy (BHRT) is chemically identical to those the body naturally produces but made from plants. For years, synthetic traditional hormones were used to treat hormone imbalances; however, patients were at greater risk of developing blood clots, gallbladder disease, heart disease, breast cancer, and stroke. After these results were made public, many men and women were concerned about the safety of synthetic hormones. Instead, they turned to other treatments like BHRT with the use of compounded bioidentical hormone pellets.
WellMedica uses bio-identical hormones that are approved by the FDA and tested for safety. Our bio-identical hormones bind to your hormone receptors like your body’s naturally produced hormones. Bio-identical hormone therapy is only administered by Dr. Dima Ali, and the dosage can be tailored to each individual to achieve optimal levels.
WHAT CAN BIO-IDENTICAL HORMONES HELP WITH?
Men and women seeking relief from the following symptoms may be an excellent candidate for hormone therapy using bio-identical hormones:
- Hot flashes
- Fatigue
- Night sweats
- Hair loss
- Lower energy
- Muscle loss
- Memory loss
- Increases in weight
- Vaginal dryness
- Loss of interest in sex
- Erectile dysfunction (ED)
- Gynecomastia
- Unclear thinking
- Painful sex
- Urinary problems
- Difficulty sleeping
- Changes in mood
- Anxiety
Many of these health issues are related to menopausal symptoms. Though men can experience an imbalance of any number of hormones, low testosterone has the most significant impact when it comes to men’s sex drive and erectile dysfunction. Quality of life can be drastically improved for many patients with FDA-approved bio-identical hormone treatments.
HOW ARE BIO-IDENTICAL HORMONES GIVEN?
Bio-identical hormones may be given in several different ways. These include patches, gels, creams, shots, and pellets. Pellets are a convenient way to administer the correct amount of compounded hormone without patients needing to remember to take pills or apply substances. They release a controlled number of hormones bio-identical to those naturally produced in the body without the increased risk of synthetic hormones.
The simple office procedure starts with a small local anesthetic injection in the insertion area; then, a tiny incision is made in the skin. A little trocar device is inserted beneath the skin into the subcutaneous layer of the epidermis. Pellets composed of compounded products (FDA-approved hormone combinations) are placed into this trocar device, after which Dr. Dima Ali will close the tiny incision site with a sterile strip. No stitches are necessary after the procedure because the incision is so miniscule.
DO BIO-IDENTICAL HORMONES REALLY WORK?
Many men and women have reported that bio-identical hormone replacement therapy has significantly improved the side effects of hormone imbalance in their lives. Both women and men can find relief from many symptoms related to hormone imbalance through bio-identical hormone therapy to restore hormone balance and reduce the effects of aging. Optimal hormone supplementation can also prevent many aging symptoms and renew a more youthful state with greater resilience.
Because custom compounded hormones have not been studied to know whether the active ingredients can be absorbed appropriately, they are typically reserved for patients who have a known allergy to one of the components of compounded bio-identical hormones approved by the FDA. In rare cases such as these, custom-made compounded hormones from a compounding pharmacy are a viable option for both men’s and women’s health. Compounded bio-identical hormone therapy is another effective way to combat the effects of aging, along with a healthy diet and exercise.
WHAT ARE THE SIDE EFFECTS OF BIO-IDENTICAL HORMONES?
Although bio-identical hormones are believed to be safer and do not have the same reported risk as estrogen, estradiol, progesterone, and testosterone developed synthetically, they can still pose a safety risk.
Dr. Dima Ali will monitor your reaction to the bio-identical hormones and decide if the dosage needs to be changed based on your response. Reactions may include mild fluid retention, acne-prone or oily skin, upset stomach, mood changes, fatigue, and breast tenderness. There may be some itching or redness around the application area, but this should subside within a few days.
For many men and women, replacing deficient hormones allows them to face life without a decrease in quality due to deteriorating appearance and function. It enables them to boost their vigorous health by renewing youth through specific hormones best suited for the body’s many complicated systems.
