Busting The 4 Most Common Myths About Hormone Replacement Therapy

For people who are suffering from the problem of hormonal imbalance, there’s a lot more information available now than ever before. People today are becoming more and more aware of the effects of this issue and also its solutions, which include hormone replacement therapy for men and women, both.

However, even with so much data available on the internet now, people are likely to find a lot of confusing and incomplete information. Furthermore, many of the facts available online are plain wrong. There are many myths and misconceptions today clouding the reputation of the very safe hormone replacement therapy. And this is making it very difficult for the sufferer to make a sound decision about what he wants to do with his condition.

Considering this, in order to help you get your facts straight, we have made this brief list of some of the most common fallacies about hormone replacement therapy. Read further to bust them all, once and for all.

Myth 1: You Don’t Need a Hormone Replacement Therapy

One of the most common things we hear about while searching for hormone replacement therapy is that we don’t even need it. But this is perhaps the most absurd myth that’s prevalent right now.

See, we all have hormones in our bodies. And they are very important to us, as they help us perform various necessary body functions. However, in most cases, the production of these hormones in our body slows down with age. This leads to a decline in their levels.

Experts say that a decline in the level of testosterone, estrogen, or progesterone can lead to various symptoms, which include:

• Bad sleep
• Irritability
• Mood swings
• Lower energy level
• Weaker bones
• Decreased sexual performance
• Unwanted weight gain

In addition to this, hormone imbalance may also increase the chances of developing various diseases, such as osteoporosis, diabetes, dementia, cardiovascular diseases, etc. 

Given all this, I don’t think not going for hormone replacement therapy would be a very good idea. This particular treatment can restore the level of your hormones back to normal, and thus, help you find relief in all the above symptoms.

Myth 2: HRT isn’t Natural

Well, that’s not true completely. Today, with the help of advanced technology, we have the availability of artificial as well as natural hormone replacement therapy. 

Artificial HRTs are those therapies that use synthetic hormones to get the level of hormones in your body back to normal. The chemical structure of these synthetic hormones is almost similar to the hormones that your body naturally produces. Due to this, they can interact with your body’s receptors in the same way as your natural hormones. 

However, as I said- the structure is “almost” similar to your natural hormones. And you should note that even a slight difference in the molecular structure can lead to several side effects.

Bio-identical hormones, though, can be the perfect solution to the above problem with the synthetic hormones.

As its name suggests, bio-identical hormones are the exact replicas of your body’s natural hormones. Owing to this, these particular hormones work a lot more in sync with your body’s natural system.

Having said that, now, it’s your decision which one would you opt for. You may talk to a qualified doctor to make the right decision for yourself.

Myth 3: Men Don’t Need HRT, as They Don’t Experience Menopause

Clearly a myth! I mean, what’s the connection between menopause and hormone replacement therapy? Yes, men do not have the concept of menopause. But it doesn’t mean their bodies do not experience any hormonal changes. In fact, every single person on this earth sees changes in their body structure with time. And this includes a decrease in the level of hormones too. This particular phenomenon in men is what we call andropause.

Having said that, hormone replacement therapy for men is also a thing. And men surely need it with time.

Myth 4: We Don’t Need HRT Until we Reach Middle Age

One of the very common misconceptions that a lot of people have even today is that hormone replacement therapy is only for people who are into their middle age. People think that this is the only time when people experience a decline in their level of hormones.

However, the truth here is that our hormones can actually shift at any stage of our lives. And many times, even your lifestyle can cause hormone imbalance in you. Some of the things that can lead to this situation may include a poor sleep cycle, not exercising enough, extreme stress, poor dietary habits, etc.

Given this, you may need hormone replacement therapy at any stage of your life and not just at middle age.

These were some of the most common myths people have about hormone replacement therapy. I hope this information will help you take the right steps, in case you are suffering from the same problem.

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