A decrease in sex hormone production is a normal part of the aging process. However, hormonal changes cause a lot of unwanted side effects, like low libido.
At Legacy Pain and Regenerative Medicine, our skilled and experienced chiropractor and nurse practitioner, Dr. Trace Alexander, offers hormone replacement therapy (HRT) for men and women. He customizes therapy replacement plans to match individual hormone needs and goals.
In this month’s blog post, we want to talk about how hormones affect sexual health and how HRT can rev up your libido.
Scientists have identified 50 unique hormones in the human body. Made by your endocrine glands, hormones are tiny chemicals that carry messages throughout the body, directing body functions like hunger, mood, and the sleep cycle.
The sex hormones are a set of hormones associated with reproductive health. They include the male sex hormone testosterone and the female sex hormones estrogen and progesterone.
Testosterone is responsible for male characteristics, like a deep voice and chest hair. Estrogen and progesterone control the menstrual cycle. These hormones also affect mood, bone health, and sex drive.
You may benefit from hormone replacement therapy if your sex hormone levels are low and you have symptoms that affect your physical or emotional well-being.
Sex hormone production naturally declines as you get older, and it’s a normal part of aging. These hormonal changes cause many of the problems people complain about when they get older, such as:
Women with declining estrogen levels may also find sex painful due to vaginal dryness. Men with low testosterone may struggle with erectile dysfunction, which is difficulty getting or sustaining an erection for satisfying sexual intercourse.
If you have any of the above symptoms, you may benefit from hormone therapy. We do a thorough evaluation before recommending HRT by reviewing your symptoms and medical history. We also check blood hormone levels to confirm that hormones are responsible for your symptoms.
HRT is a medical treatment that supplies your body with the hormones you lack in order to restore balance.
For women, HRT may include estrogen alone or estrogen and progesterone, and sometimes testosterone (to boost libido). For men, we only provide testosterone therapy.
HRT comes in many forms, including pills, patches, creams, and pellets. We discuss the options with you and make sure you get the hormones in a form that best fits your needs.
It can take time for hormone levels to balance out after starting therapy, but most people notice improvements in their mood and desire within a month or so after starting treatment.
How long you need HRT varies. We schedule regular follow-up visits to monitor your hormone levels and symptoms and make adjustments as needed. Our goal is to relieve your symptoms using the lowest dose of HRT for the shortest amount of time.
Declining sex hormone production can zap your desire for sex, but hormone replacement therapy can help you get back your sex drive.
Are you ready to rev up your libido? Call us at 972-899-9797 to schedule a consultation with Dr. Alexander at one of our offices in Plano or Addison, Texas.
