Archive for May, 2009

Testosterone Replacement Therapy :: Hormone Replacement Therapy :: Natural hormone replacement therapy (HRT)

Tuesday, May 12th, 2009

Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT): Boon or Bane?

Hormonal Replacement Therapy is taken to men and women suffering from hormonal deficiencies such as testosterone, progesterone and oestrogen which come with aging. The hormonal imbalance may source adverse effects such as heart diseases, obesity, osteoporosis and a lot more.

Hormonal Replacement Therapy may also be Testosterone Replacement Therapy (TRT) or Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT).

Testosterone Replacement Therapy is the process of testosterone administration to supplement and treat the testosterone deficiency. It may be in the type of oral agents, intravenous, or trans-dermal and administration have to be carefully monitored to acquire the most advantage sans the unsolicited side effects. Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT), on the other hand, is the process of treating menopause and menopausal symptoms as well as replenishing estrogen and progesterone the women’s ovaries can no longer produce .

Types of Testosterone Replacement Therapy

Testosterone Replacement Therapy may be administered as follows:

• Oral agents. Although the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the administration of oral agents, this is not commonly suggested because its effect, compared with other preparations is only reasonable and requires a high daily dosage. Likewise, it has unfavorable effects such as liver damages and high cholesterol level.

• Intramuscular injection is the simplest as well as the oldest form of TRT. Testosterone is injected straight to the muscle in the buttocks area and ingested straight to the blood stream.

Another intramuscular method of TRT is the implant of testosterone pellet beneath the skin, usually into the fatty part of the buttocks. Testosterone is slowly released to the blood stream.

• Transdermal System, which include patches, gel and cream, is one of the most well organized methods of improving testosterone level and considered a natural hormone replacement therapy. Testosterone patches, gel and cream can be applied to several skin areas and absorbed by the skin and released to the bloodstream in a consistent manner.

Benefits of Testosterone Replacement Therapy

Male adult with testosterone deficiency generally complain of sexual problems and mood swings. The therapy is proven to get better both physical and psychological functioning such as:

• Improves sexual ability and impulsive erections

• Restores erectile function in androgen deficit men not afflicted with diseases disturbing erectile dysfunction such as nerve diseases and diabetes which are common in older men

• Alleviates mood swings depression , anxiety, confusion, anger

• Maintains masculine personality such as growth of beard and pubic hair

• Stimulates muscle protein synthesis resulting to increased muscle mass and bone mineral density

Although TRT may be considered a 100% success, male adult beneath this medication may experience inspiration of prostate tissues resulting to increased urination, worsening of sleep disorders and decreased testicular size . Changes in cholesterol and lipid level as well as increase in red blood count may likewise manifest.

Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT)

Hormone Replacement Therapy is a type of treatment which is used to return estrogen and progesterone, hormones that the body can no longer create because of menopause.

There are two major HRT classifications namely:

• Estrogen Therapy which may be taken verbally or as a cream, aids menopausal symptoms such as hot flashes and vaginal itchiness and aridness as well as preventing osteoporosis

• Progesterone/Progestin-Estrogen Hormone Therapy which is a combination therapy and can be continuously administered for the avoidance of other symptoms of menopause

Benefits of HRT

Women who are under natural hormone replacement therapy (HRT) increase protection not only from troublesome menopausal syndromes such as hot flashes and night sweats, itchiness and dryness, and painful intercourse, but also to the following situations :

• Osteoporosis. HRT helps in the prevention the bone loss that occurs after menopause.

• Colorectal cancer. HRT can be a factor in decreasing the risk of colorectal cancer.

• Heart diseases. When taken through the early stages of postmenopausal years, estrogen helps in minimizing the risk of heart disease.

Both TRT and HRT are relatively successful and protected , however, prolonged used may source adverse effects such as prostate enlargement or cancer and diseases of the heart, kidney and liver. To make sure that the success is truly a 100%, men and women undergoing these therapies must be densely monitored and evaluated.