34 MENOPAUSE SYMPTOMS |
HEALTH CENTER |
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What Are Bioidentical Hormones? |
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Bioidentical hormones are one of the most controversial treatment options for menopause symptoms and hormone-related disorders. Hormone replacement therapy using bioidentical hormones has a significant number of staunch supporters, but it has an equal measure of harsh critics, and the medical community remains undecided as to its merits. Keep reading to learn more about bioidentical hormones in order to make an informed decision about the safety and effectiveness of this type of treatment. |
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Bioidentical hormones are defined as "exogenous" (meaning produced outside the human body) hormones that have an identical chemical structure to "endogenous" hormones (hormones naturally produced inside the human body). Bioidentical hormones are typically synthesized from so-called "natural" botanical sources, typically soy beans (an excellent natural source of estrogens) and wild yam (high in progesterone). |
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| The term "bioidentical" may also be used by some physicians or pharmacists to indicate a compounded hormonal treatment tailored to individual patients, at a dosage typically determined after salivary or blood hormone tests.
Proponents of what some refer to as "bioidentical hormone replacement therapy" (BHRT) claim that this is a safer, more effective alternative to traditional hormone replacement therapy (HRT), which utilizes synthetic hormone molecules (often synthesized from sources such as the urine of pregnant horses) which are administered at uniform doses. HRT has been virulently criticized for its serious health risks (including an increased risk for heart disease and certain types of cancer), but some claim that bioidentical hormones are safer and more effective than traditional HRT, because they match exactly the chemical structure of human hormones.
Much of the medical community remains skeptical about these claims, however, and cautions that bioidentical hormones most likely have their own share of potential health risks. Keep reading to learn more about the risks associated with bioidentical hormones.  |
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Bioidentical hormones have become increasingly popular for the treatment of the symptoms of hormonal imbalance, such as occurs during menopause. Bioidentical hormones may not be the safest or most effective solution, however. Keep reading to learn about other treatment options of hormonal imbalance. |
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Treating Hormonal Imbalance with
MacaActive Supplements |
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Hormones such as estrogen, progesterone and testosterone play an essential role in several areas of the body, and as hormonal levels decline with age, the health implications can be significant. As women begin to notice the symptoms of hormone deficiency, they may want to consider taking steps to stabilize their hormonal production.
Today, there are three effective ways to normalize hormonal levels: lifestyle changes, alternative medicine and drugs & surgery.
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Lifestyle Changes: Lifestyle changes (such as an improved diet and increased exercise) are vital for overall health and for alleviating the symptoms of hormonal balance, but lifestyle changes alone will not have a significant impact on hormonal production. Most women will want to consider the next level of treatment, alternative medicine, which has proven to be excellent for treating hormonal imbalance in a safe and natural way.
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Alternative medicine: There are two types of herbal supplements for improving low estrogen levels: those containing phytoestrogenic herbs, and those containing non-estrogenic herbs. Phytoestrogenic herbs (like Black Cohosh) are filled with phytoestrogens, which are similar to estrogens. They can increase low estrogen levels by replacing some of the missing estrogen hormones. This isn't the best solution, however, because your body will become less responsive to producing estrogen on its own, causing a further decrease in body-own hormone levels. Unlike phytoestrogenic herbs, non-estrogenic herbs don't contain estrogen, but they nourish the hormonal glands to work more efficiently. This ultimately results in balancing not only estrogen, but other necessary hormones, as well. Using non-estrogenic herbs is one of the safest and best ways to treat hormonal imbalance naturally.
An excellent example of a safe and effective non-estrogenic herb for estrogen deficiency is herbal MacaActive. What makes MacaActive so special is its ability to balance hormonal levels in women by nourishing the hormonal glands. In this way, it alleviates most disorders related to hormonal imbalance.  to read more about MacaActive.
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Drugs and Surgery: This level of treatment has the highest risk and often the highest cost. The most common drug therapy for treating hot flashes in the US is hormone replacement therapy (HRT). There's no doubt that this is the quickest and strongest way to combat hormonal imbalance. Unfortunately, it entails serious side effects and increases the risk of different types of cancer in women. If you still want to consider this approach, see your doctor to learn more about what this treatment option involves.
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A safe way for balancing hormones:
Non-estrogenic herbs are the most effective solution for treating hormonal deficiency.
MacaActive is an excellent non-estrogenic herb. It's simple: rather than putting hormones from the outside into your body artificially, MacaActive stimulates your hormone glands into producing the necessary hormones naturally. This is what makes MacaActive supplements so unique. to read all about MacaActive. |
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