Conditions Treated with Bioidentical Hormones
Menlo Park CA Bioidentical Hormones Specialist, Marianna Abrams, N.D. at Water’s Edge Natural Medicine, located in Menlo Park CA, designs personalized Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy programs for men and women suffering from the consequences of hormonal imbalances or decline. Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy can help to reduce many of the symptoms that are the result of disproportionate hormone levels.
Many of these conditions and their related symptoms can occur at any age and may be due to numerous causes. Some of these causes can include aging, poor nutritional intake, environmental factors, stress, and a lack of exercise. Doctor Abrams uses Bioidentical Hormones to improve conditions in men and women, and her specialized programs have helped countless men and women to improve their overall health and wellness levels.
Women’s Conditions Treated With Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy
Marianna Abrams, N.D. at Water’s Edge Natural Medicine specializes in Bioidentical Hormone balancing for women, which includes addressing the symptoms of hormonal imbalance and customizing individual treatment programs using Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy. Dr. Abrams will test each woman’s hormone levels to determine deficiencies, dominances, and imbalances, and she will work closely with each woman to find the correct dosages to restore optimal health. Dr. Marianna Abrams treats women in the Redwood City, Palo Alto, Menlo Park, and San Mateo County California areas.
Some conditions Bioidentical Hormones can treat in women include:
- Adrenal Fatigue
- When you suffer from chronic or poorly managed stress, your adrenal glands do not release the level of cortisol you require to remain healthy and emotionally stable. You may struggle with anxiety, depression, insomnia, fatigue, cravings for sweets, and several other symptoms due to adrenal fatigue. Along with proper nutrition, balancing your hormones with Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy helps you manage stress better by bringing your cortisol levels in balance.
- Alopecia
- Having too much of the estrogen hormone or an underactive thyroid may cause you to lose hair on your head, arms, legs, or pubic area. If you are diabetic, poor blood sugar control can also cause this problem. Marianna Abrams, N.D. can take a quick blood test to determine if hormonal imbalance is causing this issue. If so, replacing your body’s lost hormones with bioidentical ones can help you re-grow scalp and body hair.
- Anxiety and Depression
- When feelings of anxiety and depression are unrelated to a specific life event, they are often the result of unbalanced levels of estrogen, progesterone, and cortisol. You may feel weepy, irritable, nervous, guilty, and many other troublesome emotions. Having a hysterectomy or going through menopause tends to increase your risk of anxiety and depression. When anti-depressant medication doesn’t work, it’s more likely you’re experiencing hormonal depression that is treatable with Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy.
- Chronic Headaches
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Women who are approaching middle age complain of chronic headaches more often than younger women do. This is often because of pending menopause or being at a certain point in their menstrual cycle. An unbalanced amount of the hormone progesterone may also be the cause of this misery. If Marianna Abrams, N.D. discovers a problem with your progesterone, she may recommend that you start Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy along with a daily dose of the vitamin B12.
- Chronic Fatigue
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It’s normal to feel tired when you are under stress or don’t get enough sleep, but chronic fatigue lasting throughout the day is probably a sign of hormonal imbalance. Unfortunately, it causes other problems such as irritability, depression, and lowered resistance to illnesses. Low estrogen levels are often the cause of severe fatigue in women. Balancing your hormones with Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy gives you the energy you need to meet everyday responsibilities and enjoy satisfying relationships.
- Cystitis
- Cystitis, or bladder infections, occurs when bacteria from outside of the body enter through the urinary tract and cause an infection. Hormonal changes that begin in perimenopause may also cause recurring bladder infections. This is because the bladder, urethra, and vagina lose muscle tone and strength as levels of estrogen slowly decline. Fortunately, you can correct this imbalance by receiving Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy. When the muscles near your bladder are stronger, it’s harder for bacteria to invade.
- Fibroids
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Uterine fibroids are masses of tissue that grow within the wall of your uterus, in it, or on it. It can result in irregular menstrual bleeding or uterine cancer in rare cases. Normally, estrogen stimulates cell growth in your body while progesterone balances it. Fibroids may be the result of unbalanced levels of estrogen, cortisol, xenoestrogens, and progesterone. Bringing all of these necessary hormones in balance with Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy can help to reduce the risk of fibroids.
- Infertility
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Uterine fibroids, endometriosis, and polycystic ovarian syndrome are often associated with infertility. Hormonal imbalance is another common cause. Specifically, female infertility may be caused from too many adrenal, thyroid, or prolactin hormones. If Marianna Abrams, N.D. isolates hormone imbalance as the cause of your infertility, she may suggest Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy to increase your chances of getting pregnant.
- Insomnia
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Insomnia, which is the consistent inability to fall or stay asleep, is both a cause and an effect of hormone imbalance. The hormonal changes of PMS, perimenopause, and menopause can all cause sleeplessness. Chronic insomnia can also make hormone imbalance worse. When your hormones are balanced through Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy, it has a less inhibiting effect on your ability to fall asleep and stay asleep throughout the night.
- Irritable Bowel Syndrome
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IBS is a term that describes pain with bowel movements, urge frequency, a feeling of incomplete bowel emptying, abdominal distension, and several other symptoms. Many women report worsening IBS symptoms just before their period starts. This may occur due to the fluctuation of estrogen and progesterone in the second half of the cycle. Having unbalanced levels of estrogen and progesterone can slow motility in the gut. However, balancing these hormones can greatly alleviate IBS.
- Low Sexual Libido
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Lack of desire for physical intimacy is due to an imbalance in the amounts of estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone in your body. When the latter two hormones start declining, it may cause estrogen dominance. This problem is also associated with weight gain, mood swings, and painful intercourse, all of which further decrease your libido. Balancing estrogen in your body so it doesn’t dominate other hormones is essential to restore your desire for sex.
- Menopause
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Menopause is the clinical term for 12 consecutive months without a menstrual period. As you start menopause, your estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone hormones may fluctuate wildly. Although there are dozens of symptoms associated with menopause, the most common ones include hot flashes, night sweats, low libido, mood swings, and weight gain. Replacement therapy with bioidentical hormones can help eliminate or reduce multiple symptoms at the same time.
- Perimenopause
- Although the average age of menopause is 51, you may begin perimenopause as early as your mid 30s. Common symptoms include breast tenderness, changes in the menstrual cycle, skin changes, sexual dysfunction, and loss of bone density. These problems occur due to decreasing levels of estrogen and other essential hormones as you age. If your blood work confirms hormonal imbalance, Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy can help you feel more comfortable.
- Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome
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If you have PCOS, several small cysts are present on your ovaries. The cysts themselves are not always harmful, but they can cause an imbalance of your hormones. This causes numerous problems, such as difficulty getting pregnant, abnormal menstrual bleeding, acne, unwanted facial and body hair, insulin resistance, and weight gain. Treating PCOS with Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy balances the hormones, which may help the cysts go away on their own.
- Symptoms of Pre-Menstrual Syndrome
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In a normal menstrual cycle, estrogen rises for the first two weeks and then begins to fall. During the second half of the cycle, this process repeats itself with progesterone. If you’re highly sensitive to hormonal changes, you may experience worsening symptoms of PMS. Some of these include bloating, irritability, fatigue, tension, and weight gain. If your PMS symptoms are severe enough to interfere with your quality of life, consider Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy with Dr. Abrams.
- Thyroid Disorders
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You have a thyroid imbalance when your thyroid, which is a small nodule at the base of your neck, produces too little or too much of this hormone. When you go to a traditional doctor complaining of fatigue or difficulty losing weight, he or she may test your TSH level. However, this may not be enough to determine hormone imbalance. Marianna Abrams, N.D. conducts several medical tests to see if you are a good candidate for Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy.
- Sexual Dysfunction
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Having deficient or dominant levels of estrogen or progesterone can cause serious side effects in the reproductive system of women. This imbalance of hormones is connected with many symptoms of sexual dysfunction, but can be addressed and treated with a Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy program designed for your specific needs.
Men’s Conditions Treated With Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy
Dr. Abrams also specializes in Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy for men, which includes addressing symptoms of hormonal imbalance and customizing individual treatment programs using Bioidentical Hormones.
Dr. Abrams will apply the newest and most effective methods for restoring optimal hormone balance using Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy. She offers medically supervised programs, which include the most advanced delivery methods to help bring hormone levels back into balance. Her programs can also treat the symptoms of andropause, helping men regain their health and confidence. Dr. Marianna Abrams treats men in the Redwood City, Palo Alto, Menlo Park, and San Mateo County California areas.
Some conditions Hormone Replacement Therapy treats in men include:
- Adrenal Fatigue Syndrome
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Your adrenal glands release the hormone cortisol in response to stress, exercise, excitement, and low blood sugar. As you age, your body has a harder time balancing your cortisol levels. This can cause unrelenting fatigue, anxiety, sexual problems, and a wide range of other symptoms due to cortisol imbalance in your adrenal glands. Hormone restoration through Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy can help speed up sluggish adrenal glands and provide you with more energy.
- Alopecia
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Dihydrotestosterone (DHT), which is part of the testosterone hormone, is responsible for hair loss on your scalp, face, chest, back, arms, legs, and groin area. When this hormone is unbalanced, it causes the follicles of your hair to regress and die. High levels of DHT can result in premature balding or thinning hair. If a full head of hair is important to you, remember that Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy can stimulate hair growth.
- Andropause
- By the time men reach age 70, they may have only 10 percent of the testosterone hormone they had at age 25. This explains why many men begin experiencing symptoms associated with low testosterone around age 40. Andropause is a term that describes the many physical and emotional changes that occur due to the imbalance of hormones. Testosterone replacement is essential to help you experience long-term symptom relief.
- Anxiety and Depression
- Low levels of testosterone cause an overall feeling of discontent in some men, which is the hallmark characteristic of hypogonadism. Balanced levels of this hormone are so essential that men with hypogonadism receive a diagnosis of clinical depression 400 times more often than men with normal hormone levels do. If you feel hopeless, low on energy, and irritable, ask Marianna Abrams, N.D. to check your testosterone level. Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy can help balance your hormones and improve your outlook on life.
- Chronic Fatigue
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When fatigue is chronic, you lack the energy to focus or keep up with everyday responsibilities. Declining levels of testosterone are often to blame for this problem. Chronic fatigue is also worsened by other symptoms of andropause, including night sweats, insomnia, sleep apnea, increased stress, and irritability. It’s important to note that all-day fatigue is different than feeling tired. Fortunately, balancing your testosterone and other hormones with Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy helps to improve fatigue and all of its associated symptoms.
- Chronic Headaches
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Cortisol, the stress hormone, can go into overdrive when you are under constant, unrelenting stress. This can cause daily headaches of varying intensity. The drop in testosterone starting at age 30 can also play a role in chronic headaches. Marianna Abrams, N.D. can pinpoint an exact cause with a simple blood test. If your hormones are unbalanced, treatment with Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy can help alleviate headache pain.
- Enlarged Prostate
- By the time you are 65 years old, you have a 50 percent chance of developing an enlarged prostate. This occurs when male hormones and certain growth factors fail to work together properly. Symptoms of an enlarged prostate include problems starting or stopping the flow of urine, increased need to urinate, a weak urine stream, and involuntary urine dribbling. If you have an enlarged prostate, consider Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy for symptom relief.
- Erectile Dysfunction
- You have erectile dysfunction when you can’t get an erection at all or maintain one long enough for satisfying sexual activity. A diminished level of testosterone is the typical cause. This also happens when the brain fails to signal the release of nitrous oxide, which is responsible for blood flow to the penis. Too much of the stress hormone cortisol also plays a role in erectile dysfunction. Balancing testosterone and cortisol with Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy can eliminate or improve this problem.
- Gastrointestinal Disorders
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Gas, bloating, constipation, diarrhea, heartburn, belching, and slow digestion may all be related to imbalanced hormones in your body. Specifically, these problems could originate due to problems with normal thyroid functioning due to too much cortisol or estrogen. Many traditional doctors don’t treat digestion problems correctly because they don’t understand the connection to hormones. When diet, exercise, and medication aren’t working, consider replacing lost hormones through Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy with Dr. Abrams.
- Insomnia
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Because testosterone normally replenishes itself while you are sleeping, struggling with insomnia lowers your testosterone production. This causes a vicious cycle because low testosterone levels cause many sleep disturbances, including insomnia and sleep apnea. While difficulty falling or staying asleep and decreased testosterone production are both normal signs of aging, you don’t have to allow them to affect your quality of life. Providing your body the testosterone it needs through Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy can greatly improve restful sleep.
- Irritable Bowel Syndrome
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Elevated stress levels and a weakened immune system can both cause IBS, which may present itself as abdominal pain, gas, bloating, or frequent diarrhea. In many cases, both stress and immune system deficiency are related to unbalanced levels of hormones. This can trigger an attack of IBS. Determining what triggers your symptoms, including certain foods and hormone imbalance, is the first step to helping you feel better. Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy helps to balance the hormones responsible for triggering IBS symptoms.
- Low Libido
- The desire to have sex less often and erectile dysfunction are often related, but it’s possible to have one without the other. Testosterone stimulates the nerves in the brain to become sexually aroused, so this sensation naturally diminishes as you age. Smoking, drinking too much alcohol, and a poor diet are additional reasons your libido may be low. When combined with a healthy lifestyle, therapy with Bioidentical Hormones helps to improve your sexual desire and functioning.
- Low Sperm Count
- Having a low sperm count may affect your ability to conceive a child with your partner. Hormone imbalance due to DHEA, estrogen, prolactin, and testosterone that is too high or too low is often to blame. Stress, a poor diet, and other health issues may cause this imbalance of hormones or it could happen due to factors outside of your control. In either case, balancing these hormones with Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy can increase your sperm count.
- Low Testosterone
- Low testosterone, which your doctor may also refer to as male menopause, hypogonadism, or andropause, is the term used to describe the multitude of symptoms many men experience as they approach middle age. Your testosterone production actually starts declining one percent every year at age 30. Sexual dysfunction, mood problems, weight gain, and low energy are common problems associated with low testosterone that are correctable with Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy.
- Thyroid Disorders
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Low thyroid levels in men can cause cold intolerance, fatigue, hair loss, weight gain, dry skin, and constipation; as many as one in seven men struggle with hypothyroidism. When the thyroid produces an excess of hormones, hyperthyroidism is the result. This condition has many additional symptoms, including muscle weakness, trembling hands, insomnia, and heart palpitations. Having your thyroid level checked by a hormone specialist, such as Marianna Abrams, N.D. and completing Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy are essential to helping you feel better.
