Hormones play a part in the balancing of all the body’s biological processes, which is why when women and men’s hormone levels decrease as they enter their 30s and 40s, there are noticeable changes in the body such as weight gain, sleep disorders and sexual dysfunction. Once considered part of the aging process, these conditions are now recognized as a result of hormonal imbalances and decreasing hormone levels.

As early as their 20s, women can begin to experience diminishing hormone levels, while this can happen to men in their 30s. Testosterone, largely secreted in the ovaries of women and the testicles of men, but also produced in the adrenal glands, is the first hormone to diminish. The result can be increased feeling of anxiousness, depression and irritation. Individuals may also experience low energy, lack of sex drive and sexual performance problems.

Adults feel better when their hormones are balanced. This can be done with bio-identical hormone replacement pellet therapy, a soy or yam based treatment that works well, has no side effects and provides benefits without the rollercoaster effect of injections or oral modalities. Compressed powdered forms of estradiol or testosterone undergo 54,000 pounds of pressure to create a pellet the size of a grain of rice. A physician painlessly inserts the pellet into the fatty tissue under the skin of the hip and hormones are released for up to five months. Benefits include increased muscle mass and bone density, a decrease in fatty tissue, increased strength, coordination and physical performance, along with improvements in skin tone and hair texture. Additionally, there can be an improvement in concentration, memory and overall sexual health.

Resource: The Edwin J. Dean M.D., LLC, Medical Wellness Center, Naples, 239-263-0014. Dean-Wellness.com.