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Hormones are responsible for many jobs in a woman's body, and when they're out of balance, they can cause a multitude of problems. As we enter menopause, and perimenopause, many of the symptoms associated with this stage in life such as hot flashes, depression, and anxiety can often be attributed to a hormone imbalance. A common treatment for this imbalance is hormone replacement therapy (HRT) and women have the choice of bioidentical or synthetic hormones.
Hormonal imbalance can begin as early as your thirties and while you may think that you're stressed from working and parenting, it may be your hormones. Bioidentical hormones work much like the estrogen and progesterone that our bodies produce and are made from soy and yam extracts. There has been some medical controversy about the synthetic hormones made by pharmaceutical companies as there are those who believe these to be dangerous. Bioidentical hormones are regarded by many as being safer, but you should always work closely with your doctor when choosing your method of hormone replacement therapy.
As discussed on The Doctors, gynecologist and hormone specialist Dr. Prudence Hall says that there are many benefits to HRT, but there are some risks as well. For some women this can help prevent many common cancers, while in others it may increase their risk. When a woman reaches menopause, the risk of suffering from a heart attack is equal to that of a man. "Bioidentical hormones help prevent 75 percent of heart attack deaths," Dr. Hall says.
