Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy
Bioidentical hormone replacement therapy (BHRT) is the use of hormones that are identical on a molecular level with those naturally produced in the human body. There can be variations amongst practitioners in just how this is accomplished. Elite sports performance medicine uses blood testing to measure hormone levels at baseline, and to monitor the effects of hormone supplementation. The hormones can come from commercially prescribed products as well as be custom compounded by accredited compounding pharmacies. There remains controversy in the conventional medicine world, but BHRT is supported in medical research. There are several hormones addressed via BHRT: including estradiol (the key estrogen), progesterone, testosterone, Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), thyroid hormones and melatonin, among others.
BHRT is employed with two main objectives: improving the overall quality of life now and reducing the risk and impact of degenerative disease of aging in the future.