The human body will naturally experience changes with age, often accompanied by a decline in hormone levels. For adult men and women, these hormonal shifts can trigger some negative side effects, such as decreased energy levels, diminished libido, mood swings, and cognitive decline. Fortunately, hormone replacement therapy, or “HRT,” is a medically proven treatment that can rebalance hormone levels and alleviate the symptoms associated with aging. If you’re experiencing negative changes related to aging, here are four ways that HRT can improve your quality of life.
1. Prevents Cardiovascular Disease
Estrogen helps maintain healthy cholesterol levels and blood vessel function. Meanwhile, testosterone plays a role in regulating blood pressure and reducing inflammation. Regardless of your biological sex, hormonal changes can impact your cardiovascular health, increasing the risk of heart disease. This disease is one of the leading causes of death in the U.S., but it’s also highly preventable. By restoring and stabilizing your hormone levels, HRT addresses your aging-related symptoms and provides long-term protection against heart-related issues.
2. Boosts Mood and Mental Clarity
Hormones control the brain’s ability to generate feel-good chemicals like dopamine and melatonin. Therefore, it makes sense that your mood or mental state can take a hit when you endure hormonal changes. Some common symptoms are mood swings, depression, or a diminished attention span. Not only does this affect your outlook on life, it can negatively impact your job performance or your relationship with loved ones. According to scientific research, HRT effectively stabilizes your hormones and minimizes the cognitive changes associated with hormonal fluctuations. Ultimately, this helps you maintain a healthy, positive outlook and preserves your natural “zest” for life. To gain the most benefit from HRT, most health experts recommend starting therapy as early as possible.
3. Protects Bone Density
In men and women, estrogen plays a crucial role in maintaining bone density by regulating the activity of osteoblasts and osteoclasts, the cells responsible for bone formation. Therefore, changes in estrogen levels often result in changes in bone mass, which may eventually lead to the development of osteoporosis. While the disease can impact both sexes, postmenopausal women are at a higher risk of developing osteoporosis than men of the same age group. By replenishing estrogen levels, HRT helps preserve bone mass, reducing the risk of fractures and osteoporosis-related complications. This preservation of bone density also promotes independence and mobility in later years
4. Increases Energy
Fatigue, exhaustion, and a loss of energy are common complaints among adults as they get older and approach their senior years. With that said, HRT effectively addresses the root cause of fatigue, which is hormone imbalance. Estrogen and testosterone influence metabolism, muscle function, and overall vitality, and the ideal balance depends on your sex, genes, body type, and dozens of other variables. By replenishing hormones to optimal levels, HRT can help you feel more energized, motivated, and closer to your youth. This can be an effective strategy to maintain an active lifestyle, which becomes more important as you age.
Do your research and learn more about how hormone replacement can improve your quality of life.
