The human body consists of hormones, which are special messengers in the blood that control certain functions. These hormones are essential for the human body to function optimally. Sometimes in adulthood, some of the hormone making or secreting mechanisms get disrupted, due to which adults, especially middle age adults require hormone replacement.
What Is Hormone Replacement Therapy?
Some people suffer from hormone deficiencies during their middle age, this is especially true for people who develop conditions like hypo thyroidism and hypo adrenalism. Such people require hormone replacement for their bodies to function optimally. Hormone replacement therapy involves the ingestion of hormones in the form of medicines, by a person so that the hormone imbalance in the body is corrected.
What Conditions Require Hormone Replacement Therapy?
Many conditions can require hormone replacement therapy. If a woman had under gone hysterectomy (removal of the uterus) then she will require the essential female hormones progesterone and estrogen in order to maintain her bone health. Similarly, some people, mostly women tend to develop hypo thyroidism during their middle age. Although hypo throydism can develop any time during the course of a person”s life, it mostly develops during the middle age. In this condition the essential T3 and T4 thyroid hormones need to be taken in order to correct the hormone imbalance.
Are There Any Risks Associated To Hormone Replacement Therapy?
Like all medicines, hormones also pose a risk to the human body and many people do feel side effects to some degree. Many people go for human growth hormone replacement therapy in order to improve their bone and muscle health. By replacing growth hormone in deficient adults, cardiovascular and exercise functions have been increased. Growth hormone replacement is particularly risky and not completely tested or studied in detail either. Some hormone replacement therapies are associated with increasing cancer risks as well, but this is also not proven or studied effectively. Hormone replacement does cause some side effects and depending upon the hormone being replaced the following side effects may develop: increased mood disorders, increased blood pressure, impaired insulin function, headaches, fluid retention and other similar effects.
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