How Does Bioidentical Hormone Therapy Help With Weight Loss?
With aging and weight gain, both men and women can develop an imbalance in hormone production. While it most commonly occurs in your 40s and 50s, a hormonal imbalance can develop earlier.
Symptoms may appear subtle at first, and you may blame it on stress or aging, but before you know it, you can find yourself feeling tired, out of sorts and gaining more weight. Our experts explain how a hormonal imbalance can impact weight gain, and how bioidentical hormone replacement therapy (BHRT) can help you lose weight and restore your vitality.
Hormones and health
Both men and women need the right amount of sex hormones for optimal health. Men produce higher amounts of testosterone, and women make higher levels of estrogen. When in balance, sex hormones contribute to various physiological functions, including:
- Building and maintaining lean mass
- Keeping bones strong
- Protecting against certain diseases
- Distributing fat
- Reducing fat storage
- Regulating mood
- Regulating energy
- Promoting a healthy sex drive
When you start producing less of the hormones that your body needs, uncomfortable symptoms can begin to crop up, with weight gain and fatigue being most commonly reported. Because both men and women need the right amount and balance of testosterone and estrogen to stay healthy and fit, it’s no surprise that a hormone imbalance can lead to higher numbers when you step on the scale.
Bioidentical pellet hormone replacement
Hormone replacement with pellet therapy can be one effective way to replace missing hormones and help you lose weight and feel healthy. Pellet therapy uses a unique way of delivering hormones that can be more convenient and sometimes more effective than pills, creams or injections.
Pellets approximately the size of a grain of rice are placed through a small incision in your skin to give you a sustained supply of hormones over time. The release of hormones can be affected by multiple factors, including your activity level. When you’re active, the increased blood flow helps to release more hormone from the pellet for your needs. The content of the pellets are essentially pure hormone, and no residue remains after the hormones are completely absorbed.
A difference you can feel
BHRT can have a major impact on how you feel and function. Most men and women notice not only a significant improvement in energy and mood but also an increase in lean body mass and reduction in fat, for a healthier body composition. They find that with proper diet and exercise, they have a much easier time losing weight and keeping it off.
Following pellet therapy, patients typically feel a difference within a few days to a few weeks. Peak absorption occurs within 4-5 weeks. After six weeks, we may reassess your hormone levels and symptoms to ensure the dosage is right. Optimization can sometimes take up to six months to get the hormone levels just right for each individual. Most women receive a new pellet every 3-4 months, while most men typically receive a new pellet every 4-5 months.
Why BHRT may be right for you
The decision to have bioidentical hormone replacement therapy is one you make with your provider after reviewing your medical history and checking your hormone levels to determine if you are a candidate and discussing the benefits and potential side effects. Among the benefits of BHRT are that it:
- Reduces symptoms of a hormonal imbalance
- Lowers your risk of osteoporosis
- Lowers your risk of heart disease
- Increases energy
- Boosts your libido
- Improves your quality of life
- Promotes weight management
Board-certified in gynecology and obesity medicine, and a specialist in bioidentical hormone and weight loss, Dr. Catherine Kodama at BioAge Health will work with you to help you get back to feeling like yourself again.
To get started with BHRT, call our Eagan, Minnesota office today to schedule a consultation, or book your appointment online.
