Women’s Hormone Therapy | Austin, TX
Estrogen & Progesterone Replacement
Hormones play a critical role in women’s health and wellbeing. Hormones are chemical messengers that regulate various bodily functions, including metabolism, growth, mood, and reproduction. In women, hormones such as estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone play a vital role in regulating the menstrual cycle, fertility, pregnancy, and menopause. Hormonal imbalances can cause disruptive symptoms in women that can impact every aspect of their lives.
Estrogen dominance is a common issue in the latter half of the menstrual cycle, where estrogen levels should be low, and progesterone levels should be at their highest. Common symptoms of estrogen dominance in women include irregular periods, mood swings, breast tenderness, fatigue, weight gain, headaches, and decreased sex drive. On the other hand, symptoms of progesterone deficiency may include irregular periods, heavy or painful periods, mood swings, breast tenderness, insomnia, low libido, and fatigue. Testosterone, often thought of as a male hormone, is equally important for women. Testosterone deficiency can lead to a range of symptoms, including low sex drive, fatigue, difficulty sleeping, decreased muscle mass and strength, increased body fat, mood changes, reduced bone density, decreased cognitive function, and decreased hair growth.
Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) affects 8-12% of women and is caused by insulin resistance due to a sugar or carbohydrate-rich diet in women who are sensitive to carbohydrate intake. PCOS can lead to elevated levels of testosterone and its associated symptoms include hair loss, acne and dark pigmentation of the skin. Often, women with PCOS are prescribed birth control pills to regulate their cycles. However, it’s important to address the underlying metabolic disturbance of PCOS with dietary changes to reestablish metabolic health and normal hormonal balance. Hormone levels should be drawn to assess the adequacy of each hormone responsible for creating balance, and these levels should be drawn at specific times of the month for proper evaluation of balance.
Dr. Harper’s innovative and comprehensive solutions to health and hormones will allow you to experience renewed energy, restored youthfulness and a longer, healthier life – just as nature intended. She is one of the most experienced physicians in the United States having utilized bioidentical hormone replacement therapy in her personalized integrative health practice with over 10,000 patients. She specializes in treating perimenopause, menopause, and other causes of women’s hormone deficiency or imbalance.