Hormones are an important part of your body’s messenger system. These chemicals send signals to almost every part of your body. They control things like your mood, growth, and even body hair.
Bioidentical hormones are man-made. They’re designed so your body uses them in the same way it does your own hormones. Bioidentical hormones can be very helpful for people who suffer from a hormonal imbalance or who might not make enough hormones naturally.
Hormones are chemicals that are made by your endocrine glands. The glands release hormones into your bloodstream to be carried to the appropriate body part. Hormones control quite a few functions in your body such as:
It’s difficult for you to function properly when your hormones are out of balance. A hormone imbalance can cause weight gain or mood swings that affect your day-to-day life. Taking hormones can help people whose bodies don’t make enough of a certain hormone, or whose hormone levels are unbalanced.
Bioidentical hormones are just one type of man-made hormones available. Of all the hormones out there, the bioidentical type is the closest to the real thing. These hormones are chemically identical to the ones your body makes, so you can absorb them easily. Bioidentical hormones are made in a laboratory and can come in different forms.
Every physical body is unique and has different needs. For this reason, some health care practitioners offer a compounded, or mixed, bioidentical hormone. The appeal is that it’s a blend of hormones tailored to the individual. But there are risks involved with using this method.
Often, when hormones are blended, a saliva sample is taken from the patient to test current hormone levels to determine what hormone combination is most suitable. There are multiple reasons why this method can be unsafe.
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