Among the most important hormones that have been produced in a woman’s body is estradiol, which is more commonly known as estrogen. Even though estradiol is essential for the ongoing management of your reproductive system, it has other roles within the body. For instance, estradiol protects a person’s bones and promotes healing from injuries and bruises.
As you age, your body begins to produce less estradiol. The lower production of estradiol may also occur as a result of certain health conditions. Whatever the reason for the low estradiol levels, poor estradiol production in women is harmful and may produce uncomfortable side effects.
In fact, having lower estrogen levels worsens menopause symptoms. It’s possible to counteract these issues and increase estradiol levels by taking bioidentical therapy. The following provides answers to “What is bioidentical estradiol?” and “Is estradiol a bioidentical hormone?”.
What Is Bioidentical Estradiol?
There are many different types of hormone therapy you can receive to increase your body’s estradiol levels. However, the most effective of these options is bioidentical estradiol therapy. This therapy is different from the rest because it allows for the creation of hormones that are wholly identical to the ones found in the human body. As such, the hormones that this therapy uses are more compatible with your body than the alternatives.
You’ll find that estradiol production levels start to decrease in the 4-5 years before menopause. This period of time is known as perimenopause and typically occurs when a woman is in her 40’s.
However, perimenopause can start when you’re in your 30’s. Keep in mind that menopause itself develops when you haven’t had a menstrual period for at least 12 consecutive months. Once menopause occurs, many uncomfortable symptoms can arise. These symptoms include dry skin, irritability, night sweats, hot flashes, and fatigue.
One option you can use to reduce the severity of menopause symptoms is to take part in bioidentical therapy. Once your estradiol levels begin to drop, bioidentical hormone therapy can help you increase the amount of estradiol in your body. Along with easing symptoms of menopause, bioidentical therapy also treats conditions like:
- Fibromyalgia
- Insulin resistance
- Osteoporosis
- Thyroid and adrenal disorders
Is Estradiol A Bioidentical Hormone?
If you’re wondering “Is estradiol a bioidentical hormone?”, the answer is yes. Moreover, estradiol is among the most common man-made hormones that are created to match the hormones naturally found in a person’s body. Testosterone and progesterone are two additional hormones that are used in bioidentical therapy. Bioidentical estrogen is derived from various plant estrogens.
How To Obtain Bioidentical Estradiol Therapy
If your estradiol levels are low and you believe that bioidentical therapy is right for you, there are several methods you can use to take this therapy. For instance, this estradiol can be taken in pill form. Estradiol is also available in several additional forms, which include:
- Gels
- Creams
- Patches
- Injections
Before you make a decision, speak with your doctor about which type of estradiol therapy is right for you. Furthermore, you must visit your doctor regularly to receive evaluations about your body’s response to the therapy. FDA recommendations state that people should only take relatively low doses of estradiol during therapy. You should also avoid overusing the substance.
Primary Benefits Of Bioidentical Estrogen Therapy
There are many benefits of bioidentical estrogen, the primary of which is that it will help lessen menopause symptoms. Moreover, understanding what the benefits of bioidentical estrogen are should assist you in determining if this treatment is right for you.
Lessens Menopause Symptoms
As mentioned previously, the amount of estrogen your body produces will decrease as you age. In the five years before you experience menopause, your relatively high levels of estrogen will start to drop. Once this occurs, you will experience some symptoms of menopause. The most common of these symptoms include:
- Vaginal dryness
- Hot flashes
- Difficulties with sleeping
- Chills
- Excessive sweating
Numerous doctors immediately prescribe estrogen-based medications to women who start to experience menopause. If you want the most effective form of estradiol, however, you must request bioidentical estradiol. This form of therapy should ease your symptoms in a short time.
Helps Vaginal Problems
Along with menopause, lower estrogen levels also create vaginal issues that are difficult to manage. You may notice changes in the pH balance, tissue, and lining of your vagina. These vaginal problems may lead to additional health issues, which include:
- Atrophic vaginitis
- Vulvar atrophy
- Vaginal dryness
Bioidentical therapy can treat these issues by increasing estrogen levels.
Strengthens Your Bones
During menopause, a certain amount of bone loss is expected. However, estradiol has the potential to stop and eventually reverse any bone loss that occurs. At the moment, many doctors are prescribing estrogen for the treatment of bone loss during menopause.
While other medications can target bone loss more acutely than estrogen, they aren’t always effective. Because of the benefits of using bioidentical estradiol for bone loss, it’s also used for the treatment of osteoporosis.
Relieves Ovary Issues
Another notable benefit of using bioidentical therapy is that the therapy relieves ovary issues. Keep in mind that your ovaries are directly responsible for the production of estrogen. If your ovaries stop producing this hormone, bioidentical therapy is likely necessary.
Some ovary problems that may require therapy include:
- The removal of both of your ovaries
- Both ovaries failing
- Female hypogonadism, which occurs when the function of your ovaries decreases
If both ovaries have been removed, you may develop premature menopause, which would produce symptoms that should be treated. To that end, estradiol can treat the symptoms that occur with premature menopause.
Risks Associated This Form Of Therapy
There are some risks that you should be aware of before taking bioidentical estradiol. These risks include:
- Possible birth defects – If you end up using estrogen just before you become pregnant, birth defects are possible.
- Blood clots – Estrogen heightens the risk of blood clots, which may cause a heart attack or stroke.
- Dense breast tissue – If you go through estrogen therapy, your breast tissue may become denser. Furthermore, the presence of dense breast tissue makes mammograms more difficult to read.
- Cancer – High levels of estrogen can increase the risk of breast cancer and other forms of cancer.
Even though these risks exist, they are exceedingly rare and are substantially outweighed by the benefits.
Therapies And Vitamins That Pair Well With Bioidentical Estradiol Therapy
If you decide to obtain bioidentical estradiol therapy, there are additional vitamins and therapies that it pairs well with. For instance, vitamin A and vitamin B-12 are capable of managing the symptoms that occur with menopause. Both of these vitamins minimize the problems that occur when your estrogen levels drop.
As for therapies, the hormone therapies you obtain while going through menopause should include progesterone. The ovaries produce these hormones as well. Lower progesterone levels may lead to enhanced menopause symptoms.
If you would like to find out more about bioidentical hormone therapy at Androgenix, contact us today to make your first appointment.
