22 May Can BHRT Help You Lose Weight?
Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy or BHRT is a revolutionary treatment that can be used to help with a number of different issues as it can help restore normal hormone levels in your system. Unfortunately, as we age, we all start to experience a shift in our hormone levels. By our mid-thirties, most of us begin to notice an extreme decline in hormone levels.
This drop-off in hormones can impact different people in different ways, but for some, it can lead to unexpected weight gain. This is why when getting hormone replacement therapy you might experience weight loss.
How Do Your Hormones Impact Your Weight?
Losing weight can be difficult for any middle-aged individual. One of the many reasons behind this has to do with stress. As we age and become more stressed, our bodies start to release more cortisol. This is the hormone that gives us that “fight-or-flight” signal. Many of us release this stress hormone, even when the situation we are faced with isn’t dire or life-threatening. It can be from a tight deadline, a demanding boss or financial issues.
Unfortunately, too much cortisol can contribute to sudden weight gain or difficulty in losing weight. This is because cortisol will access sugar in the body to make sure we have enough energy to “fight” or flee. So, when you are stressed from say, paying your bills, your body releases cortisol and thinks it is going into survival mode. However, you don’t have to be in survival mode to balance your bank account, so we don’t use up that energy the body creates from stress.
Then, our insulin, which acts as a regulator will begin overproducing. This can lead to weight gain, insulin resistant or even type 2 diabetes.
This isn’t the only way that hormones impact weight loss either. Women who are experiencing menopausal or perimenopausal symptoms or those who may have abnormal estrogen levels are more likely to gain weight as well.
Using BHRT To Combat This Weight Loss
With individualized BHRT many men and women can make sure their hormone levels are balanced and normal. This can help with many of the side effects of aging, and it can help with sex drive, mood, and bone density. It can also help improve weight management, reduce fat mass and help increase lean body mass.
These therapies start with a hormone test that evaluates your hormone levels to see where you are and what type of treatments may work best for you in your situation. There are creams, pellets, medications, and injections available, depending on your individual needs and preferences.
BHRT can be a starting point to help you along your weight loss journey. All you need to do is to take this first step to get started. To schedule an appointment for a BHRT treatment or to learn more about how BHRT can help you with your weight loss goals, contact Heritage Family Medicine and Aesthetics at 817-318-7859 for more information today.