Men's Hormone Health

Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy (BHRT)

Bioidentical hormone replacement therapy (BHRT) is a safe, effective way to help men who are experiencing age-related hormone imbalance or deficiency. When low testosterone and DHEA levels are restored to their normal physiologic balance either through the judicious use of over-the-counter formulations like Dr. Randolph’s Natural Balance Cream,  or under the supervision of a trained medical professional when there are multiple hormone imbalances, many men feel younger and more vital than they have in years.

BHRT can also help solve another common hormone imbalance in men: estrogen dominance. BHRT (bioidentical hormone therapy) should not be confused with HRT or synthetic hormone replacement therapy which has been shown in major studies to raise risks for life-threatening disease. The two have quite different safety profiles, and you owe it to yourself to understand the difference.

Human Hormones 101:
There are three hormone production centers in men: the testes, adrenal glands and hypothalamus. The male hormones testosterone and DHEA (referred to as the androgens) are produced in the testes. DHEA is also produced by the adrenal glands; the fact that there are two production centers in men is the reason DHEA levels are about one-third higher than in women. Men produce lower amounts of progesterone and estrogen than women, but their functional role in maintaining hormone balance in the male body is no less important.

Key Androgens:

Testosterone: an anabolic (building) hormone, is the most potent of the androgens produced by the testes and key to maleness and secondary sexual characteristics (facial/body hair, deeper voice, etc.), building and maintaining bone density and muscle mass and structural/connective tissue, as well as sexual function, competitive drive, stamina, outlook on life.

DHEA: (dehydroepiandrosterone) made in the adrenal glands is the most abundant of the sex hormones, and is involved in protein building and immune function in the body. The balance between DHEA and the stress hormone, cortisol, is key to maintaining immune system strength. DHEA is a main precursor of both testosterone and estrogens. According to Dr. John Lee, it follows the path of least resistance – converting to testosterone if levels are too low, or to estrogen, if levels are below normal. (John Lee, M.D., Hormone Balance for Men, 2003)

In the body, hormones travel through the blood stream to target specific hormone receptor sites. They attach to their specific receptor sites (located on the surface of each cell) much like a key fits in to a lock — a physiological phenomenon called “relative binding affinity” (RBA). The hormone binding process is site-specific; for example, a receptor site for progesterone will not recognize estrogen or testosterone. Natural human hormones, those produced by the body, have a 100% RBA for their respective receptor sites – they fit perfectly.

Like naturally occurring human hormones, Bioidentical hormones fit receptor sites precisely.
Derived from plants (soybeans or wild yams) utilizing biochemistry processes, these bioidentical hormones exactly match the molecular structure of human hormones. In other words, they are “bio” or human-identical,” with a 100% RBA or affinity for binding to their individual receptor sites. This makes them not only effective, but also safe.  Since they duplicate the identical structure and function of human hormones, the body recognizes and knows, exactly what to do with them.

Synthetic hormones are not a good fit for human receptor sites.
Unlike bioidentical hormones, synthetic hormones are drugs, manufactured in pharmaceutical labs to resemble human hormones, but with alterations that make them unique – and therefore eligible for a patent. Unfortunately, the alterations that make them different can also make them dangeroua. With less than ideal RBA (receptor binding affinity), synthetics are a poor fit with normal cells in the body and cause side effects linked to cancer, heart disease, osteoporosis, strokes, blood clots and Alzheimer’s disease. Although most of the research studies have been done on women, it’s reasonable to deduce that known side effects can also apply to men.