You may have heard of the word “hormone” time and time again, but how much do you know about the role and importance of your hormones?
As the body’s chemical messengers, hormones are secreted into the blood and travel around the body to coordinate and regulate complex processes, namely fertility, sexual function, blood pressure, sleep, mood, metabolism, among many others. When hormones—especially the important ones like testosterone and estrogen— get out of sync, distressing symptoms, and even health problems, can ensue.
Fortunately, hormone therapy (also called hormone replacement therapy) exists, and it is geared toward replenishing a specific hormone that the body is deficient in. First marketed in the mid-20th century to aging women, hormone therapy has been shown to provide a handful of benefits for both men and women. Discussed below are some of these benefits.
The Benefits of Hormone Therapy for Men and Women
Testosterone is the primary male sex hormone. As men age, testosterone levels naturally decline, causing a variety of symptoms, many of which can significantly affect a man’s overall health and sense of well-being.
Hormone therapy can help combat the effects of aging on a man’s testosterone levels, thereby restoring or improving libido, stamina, and energy. Hormone is also beneficial for reversing hair loss and erectile dysfunction as well as reducing a man’s risk for chronic conditions, such as heart disease and diabetes.
Estrogen is one of the key sex hormones in women. As women approach menopause, their estrogen levels gradually decrease in an irregular fashion. During menopause itself, women’s bodies stop producing estrogen. Low estrogen associated with both perimenopause (the transitional phase) and menopause can result in an onset of a host of symptoms, including sleep problems, vaginal dryness, hot flashes, and mood swings.
Hormone therapy addresses these symptoms by restoring normal estrogen levels. It also has the added benefit of helping prevent osteoporosis (bone loss) and depression, among many other potentially serious conditions.
Is Hormone Replacement Therapy for Me?
As with any other type of treatment, there are risks associated with hormone therapy, which you should talk to your doctor about.
Your doctor will carry out an assessment of your overall health and consider all the benefits vis-à-vis potential risks to determine if hormone therapy is right for you.
To minimize your risks, your doctor will prescribe the lowest effective dose of the hormone.
