Belmar is celebrating the big 4-0 this year, and we wear this age well. That’s because hormones hit differently in this new decade, as we face midlife together.
Perimenopause can throw patients off rhythm; their hormonal soundscape a clash of discordant noise. It’s our job to help find the beat again.
On that note, here’s a highlight reel of hormones’ greatest hits. Whether your patients are prepping for peri or moving through menopause, these bioidentical rock stars are anything but one-hit wonders.
Estrogen
The lead singer and guitarist, estrogen takes center stage. Estradiol earns the spotlight, with undeniable talent and range.
Estradiol is shown to:
- Affect sexual outcomes by improving vaginal tissue and lubrication
- Impact cognition and memory
- Promote calcium absorption and bone strength
- Increase skin elasticity and collagen content
Chart topper compound: Estradiol topical cream can be a great way to integrate systemic support to address patients suffering from unwelcome hot flashes or night sweats.
Progesterone
Think of progesterone as the drums. A slow and steady beat keeps the rhythm throughout a woman’s life.
Progesterone can:
- Help maintain pregnancy and postpartum health during the reproductive years
- Address irregular bleeding and sleep issues
- Support hormonal balance with estrogen during the menopause transition
Chart topper compound: Progesterone scored tablets may be an easy way to tackle unpredictable shifts in mood patients often experience during menopause.
Testosterone
Testosterone plays the bass. Your patients may not always know it’s there, but they sure will notice when it’s not.
Women with low testosterone can experience:
- A global loss of sexual desire. From intimate thoughts to orgasm, the decrease or absence is noticeable
- Sexual complaints after a lifechanging event, like menopause, that can be associated with impaired androgen production
- Weight gain, particularly around the midsection
- Loss of energy and focus
Chart topper compound: Testosterone fast-burst sublingual tablets may help your patients feel more open to intimacy by increasing desire.
DHEA (Dehydroepiandrosterone)
As a background singer, patients often take DHEA for granted. Despite its relative abundance, this steroid hormone may stay out of the limelight, but its value is undeniable.
Not only does DHEA serve as precursor to roughly 75% of active estrogens in premenopausal women, it can also generate nearly 100% of active estrogens in postmenopausal women.
DHEA may offer the following benefits:
- Impact energy levels and memory
- Enhance libido and tame stress
- Limit body fat
- Revive the immune system
Chart topper compound: DHEA vaginal cream can give patients localized hydration to minimize discomfort.
If this resonates with you, it’s time to face the music. Too often traditional medicine can be tone deaf; hearing but not listening to the needs of our perimenopausal patients.
Help women to act sooner rather than later and explore bioidentical hormones. The show must go on, and no one wants to see the understudy.
References
- Gava G, Orsili I, Alvisi S, Mancini I, Seracchioli R, Meriggiola MC. Cognition, Mood and Sleep in Menopausal Transition: The Role of Menopause Hormone Therapy. Medicina (Kaunas). 2019 Oct 1;55(10):668. doi: 10.3390/medicina55100668. PMID: 31581598; PMCID: PMC6843314.
- McCormick, Kathleen. Testosterone-It’s Not Just for Men Anymore. Connections, Women’s International Pharmacy.
- Petersen, Carol. Estrogens: Friend or Foe? Connections, Women’s International Pharmacy.
- Petersen, Carol. A Lifetime of Progesterone. Connections, Women’s International Pharmacy.
- Petersen, Carol. DHEA: Surviving and thriving. Connections, Women’s International Pharmacy.
- Sahu P, Gidwani B, Dhongade HJ. Pharmacological activities of dehydroepiandrosterone: A review. Steroids. 2020 Jan;153:108507. doi: 10.1016/j.steroids.2019.108507. Epub 2019 Oct 3. PMID: 31586606.
- Santoro N, Roeca C, Peters BA, Neal-Perry G. The Menopause Transition: Signs, Symptoms, and Management Options. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2021 Jan 1;106(1):1-15. doi: 10.1210/clinem/dgaa764. PMID: 33095879.
- Santoro N. Perimenopause: From Research to Practice. J Womens Health (Larchmt). 2016 Apr;25(4):332-9. doi: 10.1089/jwh.2015.5556. Epub 2015 Dec 10. PMID: 26653408; PMCID: PMC4834516.
