Going Through Menopause? Learn How Hormone Replacement Therapy Helps

Menopause (the male equivalent is called andropause) is a normal period in a woman’s life when her reproductive hormones decrease, and her ability to bear children ends. In the lead-up period, called perimenopause, you may experience a range of uncomfortable symptoms, from mood swings to dry skin.

At Revive Health Clinic in Lady Lake, Florida, our expert team offers hormone replacement therapy to help both women and men cope better with the changes in their lives. How does it work? We’re glad you asked.

More about menopause (and andropause)

Both men and women experience declining reproductive hormone levels as they age, but they’re not identical conditions.

Menopause

Menopause is when your menstrual cycle stops for good, and it’s diagnosed after 12 months with no menstrual period, vaginal bleeding, or spotting. It usually occurs when you’re in your 40s or 50s, with 51 the average age in the United States.

During the perimenopausal transition, the amount of hormones your ovaries produce fluctuates, leading to symptoms. Perimenopause can last anywhere from 2-8 years, with the average being about 4 years.

Some common symptoms include:

• Irregular periods
• Vaginal dryness
• Hot flashes
• Night sweats
• Sleep problems
• Mood changes
• Low bone density
• Trouble finding words and remembering things (brain fog)

Different people have different combinations of symptoms, but skipped periods are both common and expected. Often, they skip a month and then return. Or they skip a few months and then start again for a few months.

Period cycles also tend to get shorter in early perimenopause, so your periods come closer together. As you get closer to menopause, your periods get farther apart before they end for good.

It’s important to understand that you can still get pregnant during perimenopause. If you've missed a period but aren't sure it's menopause-related, think about taking a pregnancy test.

Andropause

Andropause isn’t “male menopause,” as some would call it, because the mechanism of hormone depletion differs between the two.

In women, hormone production plummets during a relatively short period of time. In men, testosterone production declines over many years, and the consequences aren't always clear. This gradual decline of testosterone levels is known as age-related low testosterone (low T).

Testosterone levels decline about 1% a year after age 40, but most older men still have levels within the normal range; only some 10%-25% have levels considered to be low.

Low T in older men often goes unnoticed, as many men experience no symptoms. In addition, the signs and symptoms that are associated with low T aren't specific to the condition. They can also be caused by age, medication use, or having a body mass index of 30 or higher, among other things.

When signs and symptoms of low T appear, they include:

• Reduced libido and sexual activity
• Decreased spontaneous erections or erectile dysfunction
• Breast discomfort or swelling
• Infertility
• Height loss, low trauma fracture, or low bone mineral density (osteoporosis)
• Hot flashes or sweats

Other symptoms include decreased energy, depressed mood, and poor concentration. It's also possible to become increasingly sleepy during the day, experience sleep disturbances at night, and have mild unexplained anemia, reduced muscle bulk and strength, and increased body fat.

How hormone replacement therapy (HRT) can help

The goal of HRT, which increases levels of estrogen and progesterone in women, is to manage perimenopausal symptoms, not necessarily to return hormone levels to a “normal” range.

The dose required varies from one person to the next, so it’s often administered as compounded bioidentical hormones (synthesized from a plant chemical found in yams and soy) instead of the synthetic hormones of the past. While these do address the major unpleasant symptoms, they can increase the risk for deep vein thrombosis (clot) or breast cancer.

Men with unnaturally low levels of testosterone, such as those with hypogonadism, a dysfunction of the testicles, can benefit from hormone therapy. What’s less clear is whether HRT can benefit healthy men whose low T is simply caused by aging.

The best thing for both women and men to do is talk with their doctor about the options and the risks and benefits of each. To schedule a consultation at Revive Health Clinic, call our office at 352-290-0896, or book online with us today.