Natural Male and Female Hormone
Replacement Therapy
It is a Balancing Act
What value does a person place on healthy hormone balance? Hormones coordinate the daily biochemical activity that occurs in our bodies every minute of every day. Can it be true that the hormones that keep us healthy and happy are the same hormones, when out of balance, seem to make our lives miserable? The simple answer is yes, they can, and they do.
Hormone Questionaire Form (PDF)
Current and Past Medical Conditions Form (PDF)
In the lives of women, unbalanced hormones can cause a whole host of unhealthy conditions such as:
- Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS)
- Infertility
- Osteoporosis
- Heart Disease
- Miscarriage
- Breast Cancer
- Mood Disorders
- Heart Disease
- Ovarian Cysts
Today, women are taking a more proactive approach when it comes to their hormonal balance, and not accepting an unhealthy future. Many women are able to maintain their well-being with a healthy lifestyle stressing diet and exercise. However, there are still millions of women who suffer needlessly due to the lack of education of their healthcare provider. Hormones are far too important to ignore. A woman with a healthy hormone balance can expect a longer, healthier, productive life. Obtaining the proper balance may help women avoid minor irritations and major health concerns.
Menopause
There are three distinct stages of menopause for women: Pre-Menopause; Peri-Menopause ; and Post-Menopause.
The first stage, Pre-Menopause, occurs between the ages of 35-40, but can occur any time in a woman’s early 30’s. This is a time when subtle changes in her period start to occur, because the ovaries gradually begin to produce less estrogen.
Peri-Menopause generally occurs between the years 40 thru 50. During this time, a woman’s periods begin to become irregular, and she can experience hot flashes, night sweats, mood swings, low libido, and other unpleasant changes such as weight gain. Peri-Menopause lasts up until menopause, the point when the ovaries stop releasing eggs.
When a woman does not have her period for 12 consecutive months, she is considered Post Menopausal. (Post Menopause also occurs if a woman has her ovaries removed.) Reaching this stage in her life does not mean that the symptoms disappear; it only means that she no longer menstruates. Symptoms may continue for several more years.
Mood swings, and a decreased memory are very common when a woman enters this period of her life, and physically she may continue to experience the hot flashes and night sweats, but also may notice weight changes, urinary problems, vaginal dryness, decreased sexual desire, and energy loss.
In today’s world, women put an enormous demand on themselves, and do not give their bodies the proper support. At Share ‘n Care Compounding Pharmacy, we believe that the symptoms that you are experiencing are your body’s way of telling you that you need to listen and react to what it is saying.
NaturalHormone Replacement Therapy
For years, millions of women entering menopause were prescribed Premarin and Prempro, synthetic hormones derived from the urine of pregnant horses. The belief was synthetic hormones would not only aid women’s menopausal symptoms, but help to protect women against heart disease, build strong bones and maintain healthy brain function.
When the data from the Women’s Health Initiative were made public in 2002, healthcare providers and their patients were shocked to find that none of this was true. The study results suggested that this type of HRT did not protect a woman from getting heart disease, and actually increased her risk of breast cancer, blood clotting, and stroke.
Bio-identical hormones include estrone, estradiol, estriol, and progesterone
- Estrone-E1 (10-20% of Circulating Estrogens) is the primary estrogen produced after menopause.
- Estradiol-E2 (10-30% of Circulating Estrogens) is the most potent and major secretory product of the ovary, and the predominant estrogen produced before menopause.
- Estriol-E3 (60-80% of Circulating Estrogens) causes little or no buildup of the endometrium, and is very effective in alleviating vaginal and urinary symptoms in postmenopausal women. Estriol has been shown to be clinically effective for the treatment of menopausal symptoms as well as postmenopausal problems including vaginal atrophy, dryness, vaginal infections painful intercourse, and various conditions of the urinary tract. Estriol is produced in very large amounts during pregnancy. High levels of estriol are found in vegetarians and Asian women, who have a much lower incidence of breast cancer.
- Progesterone: Commonly prescribed for Peri-Menopausal women to counteract “estrogen dominance” which occurs when a woman produces smaller amounts of progesterone than normal relative to estrogen levels. Natural Hormones have a molecular structure that is identical to hormones that are naturally produced by the human body, and are intended to replace these hormones when their levels decline due to aging.
Using plant derived hormones that are biologically identical to those naturally occurring in women, we can compound a “customized” prescription based on an individual’s needs.
Share ‘n Care Compounding Pharmacy specializes in Natural Hormone Replacement Therapy, and urges any woman with unbalanced hormones to contact us for a free consultation. We have provided a 3-part evaluation for your use below that covers personal and family medical history to help us determine your needs. Based on this evaluation, our pharmacists can make recommendations for you to share with your health care provider. Feel free to print these forms, fill them out and fax or mail them back to us.
Andropause
Similar to female menopause, men between the age of 40 and 55 can experience andropause, a drop in the male hormone testosterone. Often it is a very gradual change in men, resulting in attitude and mood changes, fatigue, a loss of sex drive, energy, and physical agility.
Over time, testosterone levels in all men decline, but there is no way to predict at what age any man will experience andropausal symptoms that will require him to seek medical assistance. A recent World Health Organization (WHO) report stated “male androgens progressively decline with age” In this study it was found that the testosterone level of the men 70 years old was only 10% of that of the men 25 years of age.
For many years, men have accepted and lived with the misconception that even though andropause is a normal function of aging, nothing can be done. Today, with the knowledge available, men should no longer have to suffer with the negative effects of andropause.
The transdermal preparations are very effective in delivering the desired dose because there is no first-past metabolism and they absorb very well. Share’n Care Compounding Pharmacy will work with the patient and the provider to establish the right dose and dosage form.
