What is Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy (BHRT)

It is a treatment designed to replace hormones that are lost or not balanced due to the natural process of aging, or other factors that contribute to hormone imbalance such as in the postpartum period.  The treatment includes the use of hormones that come from natural sources such as soy products, yams, and even cactus to create matches of the hormones naturally produced in the body.  These hormones do not contain the same metabolites or by-products used in conventional hormone replacement therapy (HRT) which is typically made from the urine of pregnant mares, therefore, many of the negative side effects in traditional hormone therapy are not experienced with the use of BHRT.

Our hormones flow in a delicate balance, when unbalanced, this is when people start to have negative mood symptoms, depression, fatigue, insomnia and issues with memory.  The goal of BHRT is to restore the hormone imbalance and improve your overall health and well being, it includes comprehensive care but is not a substitute for primary care.  It is intended to improve how you feel physically, and emotionally.  Not only this, but it has health promotional benefits such as improving cholesterol levels, decreasing cardiac risk, improving the risk of developing diabetes, decreasing premenstrual syndrome,  treating polycystic ovarian syndrome, and is a treatment for postnatal depression.  It is considered a longevity medicine.

After a comprehensive health history and blood work, and a review of your symptoms a care plan will be developed specifically for you.  A specialized pharmacy compounds the hormones into doses specific to you, although there are commercially made bioidentical hormones also.  The hormones can be in the form of creams, pills, troches, or some cases injections.  After therapy is started, follow-up appointments are completed every 3 months and then every 6 months thereafter.  It is important to have close follow-ups to monitor symptoms, and adjust the hormones so that you achieve optimal wellness.  Along with hormone imbalances, some people have nutrient, vitamin, or mineral deficiencies, which is a part of functional medicine and can also help with overall wellness.

Traditionally, postpartum depression is treated with antidepressants, and in worse cases antipsychotics.  One 1 out of 7, to as little as 1 in 4 new mothers will suffer from postpartum depression.  Postpartum depression can simply be from iron deficiency and can be treated with supplements alone, while others require hormone optimization.  The main hormone imbalance in the postpartum period is progesterone.  Progesterone is the “feel good” anti-anxiety hormone of pregnancy and one of the reasons some women really enjoy being pregnant. Progesterone reduces insomnia through its natural sedating properties and has antidepressant effects.  After childbirth, there is a steep reduction in the amount of progesterone produced, which some research indicates is the cause of postpartum depression.  With the use of antidepressants, supplements and/or with progesterone, many new mothers have an improved quality of life during the postpartum period.