Could BHRT Be the Key to a Healthier You in the New Year?

There are dozens of hormones constantly at work in your body. They regulate everything from your energy and metabolism to sleep, mood, libido, weight, memory, and body temperature.

Hormones influence how men and women feel physically and emotionally, how they respond to stress, how well they sleep, and how their bodies change with age.

For much of your early adulthood, your hormone levels stay relatively balanced. As you age, however, hormones naturally decline or fluctuate. Chronic stress, illness, poor sleep, medications, and major life changes can also trigger hormonal changes. 

When these shifts happen, your body struggles to maintain a hormonal balance. This imbalance can cause persistent fatigue, brain fog, weight gain, poor sleep, low libido, mood changes, hot flashes, or a general sense of not feeling like yourself. 

In these cases, bioidentical hormone replacement therapy (BHRT) may help restore balance and improve quality of life, but only after a proper medical evaluation.

At ARA Integrative and Functional Medicine in Glen Mills, Pennsylvania, Dr. Rina Kapoor, a board-certified internal and integrative medicine specialist, assesses your hormone levels, symptoms, and overall health before determining whether BHRT is appropriate for you.

Here she explains if BHRT could help you feel healthier and more like yourself in the new year.

Why hormones have such a significant impact on your body

Hormones act as chemical messengers. They travel through your bloodstream and tell organs and tissues what to do and when to do it. Even small shifts in hormone levels can have noticeable effects.

In women, estrogen and progesterone influence cycles, bone health, metabolism, mood, and sleep. In men, testosterone affects muscle mass, energy levels, libido, and mental clarity. 

Cortisol, insulin, and thyroid hormones influence both sexes, impacting stress, blood sugar, weight, and energy.

When hormones are balanced, the body generally functions smoothly. When they’re not, symptoms such as fatigue and brain fog can develop. These symptoms often get dismissed as typical signs of aging or stress.

Common signs your hormones may be out of balance

Hormonal imbalance can look different from person to person, but many people experience overlapping symptoms.

These may include low energy that doesn’t improve with rest, trouble sleeping, weight gain despite healthy habits, mood swings, anxiety, depression, memory issues, reduced motivation, and changes in sexual health.

Because these symptoms can have multiple causes, they're often treated individually rather than as part of a larger problem. The only way to know whether hormones are involved is through proper testing and clinical evaluation.

What’s BHRT?

Bioidentical hormone replacement therapy uses hormones that are chemically identical to those naturally produced by your body. BHRT can involve estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, or other hormones, depending on your needs. 

We base treatment on your lab results, symptoms, age, medical history, and personal health goals. It’s not a one-size-fits-all treatment and requires careful dosing, monitoring, and adjustment over time to ensure safety and effectiveness.

Before administering BHRT, Dr. Kapoor conducts a comprehensive review of your health to understand how your symptoms developed, how lifestyle and stress may contribute, and how different systems in your body interact.

How BHRT can improve your quality of life

With balanced hormone levels, many people report better energy, sleep, focus, mood stability, libido, and response to exercise and nutrition.

These changes typically occur over time and work best when you combine BHRT with lifestyle changes, such as adopting a healthy diet, exercising, and prioritizing stress management.

If you feel off and can’t explain why, your hormones may be imbalanced. The new year is a good time to take your health seriously and explore hormone therapy. Request an appointment online or call our Philadelphia-area office at 610-358-3300 to get started.