At Zormeier Cosmetic Surgery & Longevity Center in Noblesville, IN, we understand that hormonal imbalances affect every facet of your life. Luckily, there is an accessible, effective solution. We are proud to offer hormone replacement therapy, also known as HRT, to help you feel like yourself again and live life freely. One of the most frequently asked questions about this treatment is how long it takes to work. Fortunately, this treatment starts working quickly.
How Long Does Hormone Replacement Therapy Take?
Hormone replacement therapy usually starts to produce results within the first seven days of treatment. That said, it can take up to 21 days for the full benefits of this therapy to become apparent. Nevertheless, each client is unique, and sometimes minor corrections are necessary. Additionally, each client responds uniquely to treatment. Your lifestyle choices heavily influence how quickly the results of this therapy become apparent.
We cannot overstate how important it is to be mindful of your lifestyle choices if you want to experience relief as quickly as possible. The healthier your lifestyle is, the sooner you will enjoy relief from your symptoms. A few weeks after your first therapy session, we will evaluate your response to the therapy program. After that, you won’t need to come in until it is time for your next dose.
What Are the Benefits of This Therapy?
You will be very pleased with the benefits provided by hormone replacement therapy if you are suffering from the symptoms of hormonal imbalance. Hormones are essential to all bodily functions. When your hormone levels are imbalanced, you will suffer from physical, mental, and emotional side effects. This therapy provides mental, physical, and emotional benefits as hormone levels become balanced.
Mental Benefits
Brain fog is a common side effect of aging. Symptoms can present differently in different individuals, but most people with hormonal imbalance notice they have difficulty concentrating and often forget important information. It is important to understand you don’t have to live with cognitive decline.
With hormone replacement therapy, both your short-term and long-term memory will improve. Furthermore, you can expect to think more clearly, make better decisions and focus better. Talk to us about whether HRT can benefit you if your memory is failing or you are noticing other symptoms of cognitive decline.
Emotional Benefits
Often, people with hormonal imbalances feel that life is taking them on an emotional roller coaster. Although severe mood swings are most commonly associated with menopause, they can also affect men going through a condition known as andropause.
If you find yourself happy one minute and crying uncontrollably the next, hormone replacement therapy can restore balance and stability to your hormone levels and mood. This emotional stability will have a positive effect on your interpersonal relationships, both platonic and intimate. You will also find you can handle setbacks with more grace and a level head.
Physical Benefits
The most common physical side effect of imbalanced hormones is a lack of energy. Additionally, men tend to experience significant muscle loss. If you find you can’t keep up with your kids like you used to, your hormone levels may be imbalanced. An extreme loss of stamina is not a part of the normal aging process. It is a sign of hormonal imbalance and can be corrected with HRT.
Unfortunately, weight gain is a common side effect of muscle mass loss because muscle is so much more metabolically active than fat. Therefore, you may eat as clean as you used to and stay active and gain several pounds of fat. HRT will help you maintain your existing muscle mass, build more muscle mass in conjunction with exercise and increase your metabolism to previous levels.
FAQs About Hormone Therapy
What Is Hormone Therapy?
Hormone therapy is a therapy that supplements hormones that are present in inadequate quantities. Although slowing hormone production is a natural part of the aging process, you don’t have to suffer from the symptoms of hormonal imbalances for the rest of your life. Restoring balance to your hormone levels will restore balance in your life and improve your physical, mental and emotional health.
What Problems Can This Therapy Treat?
Hormonal imbalances can be pretty tricky to treat because it can be difficult to identify the exact problem. Many people suffer from the symptoms of hormonal imbalances for years because they think they’re just burned out from work or tired because their age is catching up with them. Unfortunately, people grow used to constant fatigue and think there is nothing they can do. That said, HRT can treat:
- Premature aging signs
- Brain fog
- Hair loss
- Lethargy
- Emotional instability
- Insomnia
- Poor sleep quality
- Unintended weight fluctuations
- Muscle mass loss
- Bone density loss
- Bloating
- Hot flashes
- Night sweats
- Reduced libido
Note, the above is not an all-inclusive list of symptoms that can be treated. HRT can reverse all of the symptoms of hormonal imbalance you are suffering from.
How Does This Therapy Work?
Before your hormone replacement therapy begins, you need to come in for an initial consultation. During this consultation, we will discuss your lifestyle, symptoms, health history, and goals. Then, we will take a blood sample. This quick, simple blood test will tell us which hormones your body isn’t producing enough of. That said, you should understand everyone has unique normal levels of hormones.
A blood test will give us a baseline to start from, and you will be monitored throughout the therapy process. Adjustments will be made as necessary based on your unique response to the therapy. We recommend tracking changes in the way you feel once your therapy process begins to help inform us of how we need to tweak your dosage. Additionally, questions are welcomed at any point during the therapy process.
What Should I Do Besides Supplement My Hormone Levels?
To reiterate, your lifestyle significantly affects how well your body will respond to the therapy. You won’t get ideal results from hormone replacement therapy if you don’t exercise regularly, maintain a healthy diet and manage stress. On the other hand, you will feel years younger, and act accordingly, if you maintain a healthy lifestyle. The key is to restore balance to your hormone levels and lead a healthy lifestyle.
Exercise Regularly
A solid exercise routine will keep your body in optimal health and help to keep your newly restored hormone levels in balance. However, you don’t have to work out for hours per day. You can enjoy significant benefits from half an hour of moderate exercise daily. In fact, the American Heart Association recommends 30 minutes of daily moderate exercise only five days per week.
If you don’t already exercise regularly, start slowly. There is nothing wrong with going on three 10-minute walks if that’s all you can manage. As your workout sessions get easier, push yourself to go faster or farther, but don’t push yourself to the point of injury. Strength, stamina and speed will come with consistency. You will enjoy even better results if you can incorporate resistance training into your workout routine a couple of times per week.
Eat Nutritious Foods
Your diet directly affects your hormones. Processed foods impede your body’s ability to function appropriately and regulate hormone levels. Replacing refined grains with unrefined grains will go a long way in helping to keep your hormone levels stable during your therapy process.
You should also trade processed foods for plenty of produce and grass-fed or pastured meats and dairy. Furthermore, you should minimize your consumption of foods and beverages with added sugar. Honey is a great alternative to refined sugar.
Manage Your Stress Levels
Everyone experiences stress, and some people think it is impossible to get out from under it. That said, stress wreaks havoc on your mind and body and significantly affects hormone production. We recommend investing time in finding stress management techniques that work for you.
Some people find success in meditating when they feel like they are about to crack under the pressure of life. Others work from home and can go for a walk when tensions run too high. If you can find a healthy way to manage your stress, you will feel happier and healthier and your hormone levels will remain balanced.
Good Candidates for HRT
Men and women alike can be considered good candidates for HRT. Although most people who seek this treatment are over the age of 45, you can be considered a good candidate for treatment if you are in your 20s or 30s and suffering from imbalanced hormones.
If you’re not yet in your mid-40s and are experiencing some of the symptoms of imbalanced hormones, we strongly recommend coming in for a blood test to analyze your serum hormone levels. That said, most candidates are:
Men Over 45
Men start producing less testosterone every year in their mid-20s. That said, it is not until the mid-40s that the signs of andropause usually become apparent. If you are noticing a lack of interest in sex, chronic fatigue, or cognitive decline, you could benefit greatly from HRT.
Menopausal Women
In the past, women usually experienced menopause around the age of 50. That said, women are more commonly reaching menopause in their 40s. Additionally, genes and lifestyle choices can result in premature menopause. Premature menopause is defined as a loss of normally-functioning ovaries before the age of 40. Women can even develop this condition before the age of 30.
Furthermore, you should be aware you may be considered a good candidate for this treatment if you have not yet reached menopause. In fact, it is incredibly common to suffer from the symptoms of imbalanced hormones in the months or years leading up to menopause as the body starts to produce much less estrogen. Hormone supplementation can help you feel years younger and much healthier and happier.
Anyone With a Hormonal Imbalance
Notably, you don’t need to be suffering from perimenopause, menopause or andropause to be considered a good candidate for hormone supplementation. There are several causes of hormonal imbalances; you can benefit from hormone replacement therapy if you are suffering from hormonal imbalances regardless of the cause.
Book an Appointment Today
You don’t have to suffer from the symptoms of imbalanced hormones. Hormone replacement therapy can help. To find out if your hormone levels are imbalanced, please contact us today at Zormeier Cosmetic Surgery & Longevity Center in Noblesville, IN to schedule your initial consultation. We are also proud to serve members of the Shelbyville, IN community. For residents of Vermilion County, we have an office located conveniently in Danville, IL at 27791 N 1575 E Rd.
If you live in Sonoma, CA, you can find us at 431 East St in Healdsburg, CA. We also have an office located conveniently in Ukiah, CA at 706 E Perkins St #A for residents of Mendocino County. We look forward to meeting you soon and helping you restore balance to your hormone levels and life.