Although the US is generally at the forefront of healthcare information, it has lagged behind in the area of bio-identical hormone replacement therapy (HRT), for both women and men. Although synthetic HRT has been on the market since the 1930s, natural replacement has only recently become a viable option for balancing male and female hormones as demanded by the process of getting older. Natural therapies have been used substantially in Europe for a number of years, but only now are they being acknowledged as a legitimate treatment for managing the effects of “the change.”
We all know the the signs of menopause: hot flashes, irritability, sleeplessness, night sweats, intimacy issues and other various challenges. Less known are the troubles the loss of hormones can cause men. Even though andropause (the misnomer given to the group of symptoms accompanying diminution of testosterone) does not necessarily cause lack of reproductive ability, it can cause muscle weakness, loss of libido, weight gain, fatigue and stress. A few men also report hot flashes and sleeplessness, although these are not as common among men as they are with the female contingent.
Natural hormones are increasingly being recommended to both genders in place of manufactured pharmaceuticals. These are typically created from plants and rather than imitating the actions of body hormones, they are bio-identical, having exactly the same molecular structure as those secreted by human ovaries and gonads.
Bio-identical therapy can inhibit the the effects of both menopause and andropause and, although it will not completely reverse the ravages of age, it can definitely make the aging process more comfortable. As the effects of hormone loss will vary in each person, a doctor will screen his patients prior to recommending a particular course of natural hormone replacement therapy. Based on the need, natural therapies can be compounded into capsules, creams, gels, lozenges, drops or suppositories, in mixtures and strengths created for each individual patient.
There has been some controversy concerning the efficacy of natural treatments as opposed to the man-made variety. Based mainly on the fact that plants can’t be patented, therefore stopping pharmaceutical companies from making a profit, rumors were circulated that bio-identical therapy wasn’t as reliable as synthetic HRT. These stories were thoroughly repudiated by both Suzanne Somers and Oprah Winfrey, both of whom spoke and wrote readily about the benefits of natural hormones over those manufactured in pharmaceutical facilities. In effect, they each said, “if it comes from a plant, take it; if it’s made in a plant, be cautious.” Medical professionals who favor natural therapy concur.
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