Hormone Replacement and Menopause
Hormone replacement therapy is an amazing option for women who want to feel like themselves again, even while going through menopause! Is that even possible? There are several different hormones that can drop during menopause, which may lead to those unpleasant symptoms you probably know too well— the hot flashes, depression, irritability, low libido, fat gain, the list goes on! If you’re ready to say goodbye to icky menopause symptoms and hello to increased energy, life, and vitality, read on to see if hormone therapy may be a good option for you!
What is Hormone Replacement Therapy?
Hormone replacement therapy is simply a treatment that helps to boost up the decreased hormone levels in the body. Women particularly may experience drastic hormone level fluctuations over their lifetimes.
Hormones are super tricky, and quite difficult to balance! You definitely want to get help from an expert when you’re trying to decide if hormone replacement is right for you. We make that super easy here— just fill out our form to speak with a specialist today, and you can get started!
Okay but wait, we haven’t really tackled the discussion yet— who needs hormone therapy, and what symptoms can you be on the lookout for?
What are the Signs that You Need Hormone Replacement Therapy After Menopause?
We all know (a little too well, for some of us!), the classic signs and symptoms of menopause, like hot flashes and irritability. Hello, we’re just getting rid of pms, can we not have more mood swings please??
Here are some more symptoms you may experience after menopause that may be able to be relieve with the proper hormone therapy treatments:
1. Hot flashes
2. Night sweats
3. Irregular periods
4. Mood changes
5. Breast soreness
6. Decreased libido
7. Vaginal dryness
8. Headaches
9. Tingling extremities
10. Burning mouth
11. Changes in taste
12. Fatigue
13. Bloating
14. Other digestive changes
15. Joint pain
16. Muscle tension and aches
17. Electric shock sensations
18. Itchiness
19. Sleep disturbance
20. Difficulty concentrating
21. Memory lapses
22. Thinning hair
23. Brittle nails
24. Weight gain
25. Stress incontinence
26. Dizzy spells
27. Allergies
28. Osteoporosis
29. Irregular heartbeat
30. Body odor
31. Irritability
32. Depression
33. Anxiety
34. Panic disorder
Sounds like a bundle of laughs, right? Lucky us! The good news is, there are hormone therapy options for you that may help you deal with these symptoms.
Can HRT Help With Weight Loss?
This is a big question! Unbalanced hormones can cause things like lowered motivation, which make it harder to get yourself to the gym and prep healthy meals. Getting the hormones you need as a part of hormone replacement therapy can aid in boosting up your motivation again!
It is not uncommon for women going through menopause, or another time in life when hormones may have fallen out of balance, to experience weight gain. This weight gain is not only due to lack of motivation or depression that low testosterone levels, for example, may cause. Your hormones regulate so much in your body, and fat storage is one of them!
Testosterone replacement therapy for women may be a great way for some women to get their lives back on track! We know you are working hard, living that elite lifestyle, and training hard in the gym. When your hormones are fighting against you, however, it can be nearly impossible to reach your goals! If you are struggling to lose fat, even though you are living a healthy lifestyle, crushing your workouts, and actively keeping your stress levels down, you may benefit from taking a look at testosterone replacement therapy.
Does HRT Reduce Belly Fat?
When hormones get out of balance, one thing that can happen is increased storage of fat in the body— especially around the middle! It is not uncommon for women who are going through or have been through menopause to develop a bit of extra fluff around the middle, giving us that “spare tire” that is seemingly impossible to get rid of.
Even women who hit the gym hard every day, eat a clean, healthy diet, and live an active and elite lifestyle are not immune to this problem! One day, you’re shredded and lean, working hard in the gym and nourishing your body’s health with plenty of healthy foods. Then, seemingly overnight, belly fat creeps in! How is this possible? You didn’t change anything in your healthy lifestyle!
The truth is, your hormones may be to blame for this change. As we age, it’s natural for our hormone levels to drop. As they lower, things can happen to our bodies that are beyond our control. This means that you may no longer be able to compensate for your body’s fat storage with healthy diet and exercise alone, even though that has always worked for you in the past! Don’t freak out though— hormone replacement therapy may be the answer for you!
Can You Take Hormone Replacement Therapy for the Rest of Your life?
There really is no limit for how long someone can take hormone replacement therapy, generally speaking! You will want to speak with a professional for personalized advice, as well as keep up with the recommended lab work throughout the years to monitor your hormone levels.
Does HRT Give You Energy?
In short, yes!! This is of course a very generalized answer, but for those who are candidates for hormone replacement therapy for HRT, the treatments you need will likely give you a huge boost in energy levels. Different hormones do different things in the body. Progesterone, for example, has a somewhat relaxing effect on the body and mind. If you take only progesterone, you may experience a little bit of a mellowed-out feeling, sleepiness, and even a bit of water retention. Some women may need only progesterone therapy, but it is more likely that you may need both progesterone and estrogen together to get a good balance going!
Of course, hormones are extremely finicky and hard to make blanket statements about, because they are highly individual and variable. That why we recommend speaking with one of our experts as soon as possible, so you can get great quality advice and help on your HRT journey!
One hormone that has been shown to increase energy levels is testosterone. Yes, women have testosterone too! For peak performance, maintaining the right level of testosterone for your body is critical. Let’s check out the benefits of testosterone therapy for women!
Benefits of Testosterone for Women
Low testosterone levels in women can cause all kinds of problems in the body! Here are a few symptoms that you may experience when your testosterone levels have dropped a bit too low:
- Bone density
- Fat loss
- Muscle strength and mass
- Red blood cell production
- Sex drive
- Vaginal dryness
- Breast tenderness
- Depression
- Chronic fatigue
- Mood swings
- Sleep issues
- Night sweats
Testosterone helps to support strong bones, which is of course extremely important as we age. For you warriors in the gym strong bones are always important to support your athletic goals! No one wants a fracture to set them back!
Testosterone has also been shown to boost energy, drive, and motivation— things we all need when we’re putting in work at the gym and in life! If you are feeling fatigued, disinterested in things you usually love, or extra moody without explanation, it may be time to get started on the lab work you’ll need in order to get started on your hormone therapy treatment. Why not give it a go?
When testosterone levels are at a healthy, high level, your body may burn off that excess fat with way less effort and frustration on your part! That sounds pretty great, right? Not only does testosterone help to burn fat, but it can also improve muscle gain, and muscle mass retention.
When you lift weights at the gym, you are actually creating micro-tears in your muscle fibers. It is during the recovery process that your body repairs those tears, building them to be even stronger than before. That is how you increase muscle mass and strength, and testosterone plays a large roll in the process!
When you have more muscle mass, several things happen. First, muscle mass burns calories. That means that the higher amount of lean muscle mass in the body, the more calories your body burns at rest.
Let’s put this into a scenario. Let’s say you are cooking dinner for your friends. One of your friends is a professional body builder, with an enormous amount of muscle mass. The other friend is a super slight, 5 foot tall woman who has never lifted a weight in her life. Would you naturally serve them up the same size plate?
Probably not!! It’s more likely that you’d expect the jacked friend to eat a larger serving, or to go back for seconds and thirds. That’s because all of that muscle mass requires tons of calories to maintain!
This works the other way, too! If you are having trouble not gaining weight even though you are eating normal amounts of the same foods that have always worked for you, it can be frustrating for sure, but there is something you can do.
Train, train, train! Training hard at the gym can actually naturally boost your testosterone levels to a degree, but it will also build muscle mass. That new muscle mass will increase your metabolism, helping you shed and keep off those extra pounds!
Have you already tried this, and found it impossible to build more muscle or lose the extra fat? It may be time to look into testosterone therapy! Let’s see if we can get you back on top of your game.
Speak with our experts today!
972-846-9002
Stay strong and live your best life, warrior!
