Bioidentical Hormones for Antiaging
Bioidentical hormones are those which have a chemical structure that is identical to that produced by the human body. They can be thought of as an antiaging hormone in that they are said to alleviate some of the problems caused by the decline of natural hormones as we age.
Here is a short list of the hormones, which can be made in the identical molecular structure to what is in the body. As time goes on this list will grow as more hormones will be able to be identical to what the body produces.- Estrogen
- Progesterone
- DHEA
- Testosterone
How Are They Made?These products are “compounded” by pharmacies in accordance with tests that determine an individual’s hormonal status, to allow for a precise dosage to be given. Compounding pharmacies require a prescription for these bioidentical hormones to be formulated in dispensed to individuals. Safety IssuesIt is claimed by many practitioners of holistic and alternative therapies that this form of hormone therapy is safer than the use of synthetics because they are identical in structure to what the body produces. Although bioidenticals have not undergone the extensive testing of synthetic hormones by the FDA, there are studies that have been done in Europe that indicate they have a good safety record. The FDA however does not accept research done outside the US for purposes of supporting evidence for the safety and efficacy of a drug or treatment!
I believe that bioidentical hormones have an advantage over synthetic ones for hormone replacement therapy because they are not only identical to natural hormones, but their method of administration is more natural. They come in forms, which can be used, transdermally (through the skin) and thus avoid being degraded by the digestive system as they are taken into the body. In principle, smaller doses of an antiaging hormone work more naturally in the body because they do not suppress the body’s own production of that hormone via the HPTA axis. This approach is very precise and measured, thus avoiding the pitfalls of synthetic hormone therapy. Who Prescribes Them?The type of practitioner that is most likely to be prescribing an antiaging hormone will be an antiaging doctor, or at least be a physician with a strong interest in, and knowledge of antiaging practices. I will provide links at the bottom of this page to antiaging physicians and clinics qualified to offer this service to you. The Anabolic ZoneThe purpose of this antiaging hormone therapy is to keep the individual in what I refer to as the anabolic zone, where homeostasis (physiological balance) and thus good health, is maintained. This approach is one of the cornerstones of antiaging and is gaining in popularity among the public. Many of us have seen the result of catabolic processes at work in the body, for example in people with AIDS or terminal cancer. What many people do not know is that normal aging is just a slower form of this catabolic decline! Staying in the anabolic zone then is the direct opposite of this catabolic process, and it involves maintaining lean body mass through a appropriate levels and balance of all hormones so that good health and vitality can be maintained far into advanced age. Even though exercise and proper eating is the foundation of health, hormonal homeostasis (balance) using bioidentical hormones when necessary, is a vitally important part of any antiaging program. 
a list of antiaging clinics
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