What Happens to Our Hormones When We Age?
Hormones are chemical messengers responsible for just about every aspect of daily life, from sleep to digestion and metabolism, stress management, and energy levels. As we age, some hormone levels naturally shift, which is why things like menopause and increased weight, for women, happen in the first place. The natural decrease in testosterone for men can have effects like hair loss, decreased libido, and increased belly fat.
As people age, they produce fewer hormones and the number of hormone receptors on cell surfaces decreases. The estrogen decrease in women is the primary cause of drying skin that causes the lines around your forehead, eyes, and mouth. Testosterone levels affect the skin much like estrogen. The higher your testosterone, the firmer and tighter your skin appears.
One of the most noticeable, and undesirable, effects of decreased estrogen and testosterone production is weight gain. Both men and women tend to gain belly fat as they age, which is directly related to decreased hormone production.
Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) & Weight Loss
Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is the process of replacing the hormones your body is no longer making enough of.
Although it is a common belief that HRT inevitably causes weight gain, available evidence suggests that this is not true. In fact, some HRT regimens may actually help to prevent an increase in body fat mass and fat redistribution. Both men and women can benefit from using HRT for weight loss.
Of course, living a healthy lifestyle by eating a balanced diet and getting adequate exercise is important, especially as we age, but sometimes it is not enough. Replacing missing hormones with HRT can often provide the key to dropping unwanted pounds and inches, and rebuilding some lost muscle mass when done in tandem with healthy lifestyle choices.
Added Benefits of HRT
Obviously losing weight through HRT is one of the most sought-after goals of the process, but there are many other added benefits that HRT can provide aging adults.
Added benefits of HRT for women:
- Improves bone health. Estrogen is imperative for maintaining bone health. HRT may help keep your bones strong to avoid osteoporosis.
- Decreases menopause symptoms. Hot flashes, night sweats, and difficulty sleeping are all trademark signs of menopause. HRT may help keep progesterone and estrogen levels regulated, eliminating many of the uncomfortable symptoms of menopause.
- Increases sex drive. Hormone replacement therapy restores the levels of your reproductive hormones. This brings back your sex drive and may help with issues like vaginal dryness.
- Improves your mood. When estrogen and progesterone decrease with age, you may experience mood swings or depression. Balancing those two hormones with HRT may lift your mood.
Added benefits of HRT for men:
- Increased energy levels. A reduced testosterone level may cause fatigue and listlessness. Balancing the hormone level through HRT may increase your energy levels and endurance.
- Renewed sex drive. A return of your libido is one possible benefit of HRT.
- Rebuilt muscle mass. When your hormone levels are balanced, weight and resistance training are thought to produce better results.
- Better focus. Balanced hormonal levels can lead to the ability to think more clearly. You may also experience a positive shift in your mood as well as better sleep.
Learning More About HRT & Weight Loss
The best, and fastest, way of learning if HRT can help you lose weight is by contacting a specialist at 10X Health. We can help you figure out if a hormone imbalance is to blame for your weight concerns and help build a plan to get rid of the excess weight if you’re a candidate. Finding out exactly what is happening in your body will help you take control of your wellness and lead you to feel better.
We offer comprehensive blood and genetic testing, which is what we use to identify any hormone imbalances, or slight gene mutations that may be affecting the way your body is working. We analyze over 70 biomarkers in the samples you provide us to get a thorough understanding of your current well-being. Once our analysis is complete, we provide you with in-depth results, as well as recommendations that will help lead you to success in your wellness journey.
By bringing balance back to your body, essentially refreshing your hormone levels, many clients report feeling a level of energy and refreshment that they haven’t experienced in years, if ever!
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Hormone replacement therapy can help you lose weight and set you on a path to better wellness. Reach out to 10X Health today to find out more!
