The human body is a complex system that encompasses a wide variety of functions. All the activities that we take part in are reliant on our current well-being and any adjustments in it might bring about a dramatic flow of events. Just like every single thing, our body also undergoes certain changes in time. As a child gets older, he or she is sure to have significant transformations that are essential in one’s functioning in years to come. These changes can be caused by different agents and one of them is what we call hormones. Before we delve deeper into the topic, let’s have a basic review of what hormones are.
Hormones
Hormones are chemical substances that are secreted by certain glands in our bodies. They act as messengers between cells and cause several activities such as growth and development. A simple analogy could be applied to this: vehicles run on gas, and some organs in our body are being operated by hormones. Aside from this function, they also help to maintain balanced levels of chemical compounds within our bloodstream and this leads to a state of inner equilibrium or otherwise called homeostasis. Hormones play a vital role in our lives as they serve a lot of purposes that are essential in our functioning.
Hormonal disorder
However, there would be times when there is a decrease in the production of a certain hormone when an individual gets older, or even in the worst case: the absence of it. Lacking a specific hormone would eventually lead to alterations in cellular function and this could be crucial. An example would be a woman in her menopausal years, where her ovaries produce little estrogen or even none at all. This hormone is responsible for a woman’s sexual traits such as breast changes and monthly periods. Because of these hormonal disorders, women who are in their late 50’s are more likely to experience hot flushes (which is the most common symptom) and dryness of the vagina. To alleviate the symptoms of the climacteric period some women are taking several restorative measures which would help to correct this condition. This can be accomplished with Hormonal Replacement Therapy (HRT).
Hormonal Replacement Therapy
This kind of medical regime refers to a period when a patient is regularly receiving natural hormones either to compensate for a lack of one hormone or to substitute another one. Some forms of HRT that are widely used may include treatment of menopause, hormones for transgender people, and androgen replacement therapy which is utilized for battling the adverse effects of hypogonadism, as well as to slow down the effect of the aging process among men. HRT can also be very helpful when our overall wellness is concerned. There are instances that it is used for the treatment of heart ailments, dementia, or osteoporosis for women.
Form of hormone drug
These clinically-prepared hormones could either come as systemic therapies or low-dose products. Systemic therapy would include skin patches, gels, pills, or sprays. These are the most effective when it comes to treating the symptoms brought about by menopause. Other forms could also exist as cream, tablets, or in-ring forms. These products could also help in easing some vaginal and urinary discomfort, however, their effects are lesser in scope compared to other forms.
Before submitting oneself to HRT, the risk associated with it should also be taken into consideration. People who are taking hormones are predisposed to many adverse effects such as stroke, formation of blood clots, or breast cancer. Having this in mind could possibly lead to a huge dilemma.
If you think that Hormonal Replacement Therapy could be beneficial for you, consult with your doctor. He will be able to explain everything to you step by step and will inform you of all pros and cons that are connected with such treatment.
